The leaders of the two European nuclear powers arrive at the White House to push President Donald Trump not to treat only with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. French president Emmanuel Macron and British premier Keir Starmer are coming to the White House with the aim of claiming a central role for them and for Ukraine after both Kiev and Europe have been excluded from the talks between the United States and Russia on the end of the war in Ukraine.
The friction on the “Russian aggression” passage
The leader of the Elysée will meet Donald Trump today in Washington in a summit that promises to be crucial for European security and peace in Ukraine. A “declaration of action” is scheduled to counter the growing Russian threat in Europe, with particular attention to the situation in Ukraine, where war enters its third year. Macron, who started yesterday from Paris, is preparing to put pressure on Trump to include European leaders in future negotiations with Russia, in the hope of avoiding an isolation of the continent. Before the meeting with the tenant of the White House, there was a video conference of the G7 that ended in the unusual way. The leaders of the seven great powers risk not finding an agreement on the joint press release for the anniversary of the three years of war in Ukraine and the United States threatened to withdraw support for the whole press release.
The Traditional G7 Leaders’ Meeting with Ukraine’s Participation and A Very Important Signal of Support For Our Country and People.
It was a Productive Meeting, with Principled Words from The Majority by Most of Our Partners. We Strongly count on the unity of the world— Europe, … pic.twitter.com/uw58Jkftaf
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy / в smells Febration 24, 2025
For days, diplomats have been working to obtain a final declaration that does not prone too much towards a solution that imposes a surrender to Ukraine. The G7 Sherpa – reports the Bloomberg agency – are looking for a compromise since last week after the United States opposed a language that condemns Russia. Washington is also disagreed on the hypothesis of additional energy sanctions to push Moscow to negotiate lasting peace. The result of the negotiations remains uncertain, with the possibility that the American president pushes for an agreement that can privilege Moscow’s interests.
Macron spokesperson for the European position
The visit of the leader of the Elysée takes place in a delicate moment, with Trump’s statements that have aroused concerns in Europe. The President of the United States has in fact expressed his willingness to resume the interviews with Moscow, without the direct involvement of European countries or Kiev, arousing fears of a possible acceptance of the conditions imposed by Russia. Trump’s turning point against Zelensky and his haste to embrace Putin before a potential summit between the two make Ukrainians and European people fear that he simply intends to sign an agreement with Russia and then impose it in Kiev. That’s why Macron and Starmer will try to convince the US president who, if I agree with Putin, will be, this must be balanced and not advantageous only for the Russian leader. “What I will do is basically tell him that you cannot be weak in front of President Putin,” Macron said in a Q&A on social media on Thursday.
I’ll tell you how Kiev lives under the bombs 3 years after the start of the war
A Elysée official specified that Macron shares Trump’s goal of putting an end to the war of aggression of Russia and intends to work so that “the interests of Ukraine, which are also ours, are fully taken into consideration. For Macron, Russia represents an “existential threat” for Europe, and the French president has tried to coordinate a unitary response among European leaders, hosting two crucial meetings last week. A power that has armed excessively and continues to arm itself, “Macron said before leaving for Washington.
In addition to the war in Ukraine, the summit between the leader of the Elysée and the tenant of the White House highlights an equally delicate question: the growing distance between Europe and the United States. Trump and Macron will also discuss the thorny issue of trade with the European Union, with the President of the United States who threatens extensive rates against the block.
The leaders of the European Union realized too late that Washington, while remaining a formal ally, is transforming into a real opponent in some international dynamics, with direct implications on the stability of the continent and on his political choices. A fact that could deeply influence the future developments of the conflict in Ukraine and the role of Europe in the global geopolitical context. Today, during Macron’s visit and Keir Starmer’s next, it will be essential to understand if there is still a collaboration space between the USA and the EU.
London’s proposal: increase military spending at 2.5 per cent of GDP
After Macron will be the turn of Starmer, who will enter the White House on Thursday with a series of strategic proposals to be presented to Donald Trump. Among the most relevant measures, the British premier plans to increase military expenditure of the united kingdom to 2.5 percent of GDP, with the commitment to send troops to guarantee long -term peace in Ukraine. In return, he will ask for a military “security network” by the United States, trying to strengthen the links between the two nations in a period of growing international instability.
Great Britain and France would be ready to deploy a pearkeeping force of up to 30 thousand soldiers in the event of a peace agreement in Ukraine. The idea, however, meets enormous obstacles, not least the fact that it seems highly unlikely that Zelensky and Putin can both agree to sign an agreement. And Starmer has already warned that Peacekeeping’s strength could not work without a sort of ‘US’ protection network ‘, which could potentially include guarantees of safety, cooperation with the US on intelligence and air support. Putin also clarified that he will not accept troops from countries born in Ukraine under any flag.
The next extraordinary European Council, scheduled for March 6, will have as its main theme the situation in Ukraine, with particular attention to defense costs. One of the hypotheses circulating in the European chancelleries, and which finds the favor of Italy, is to allocate the funds of the unpressed installments of the Next Generation EU, starting from June 2026, to the purchase of weapons to support the Ukrainian cause e respond to the requests of the US President.
This proposal could represent a significant move to adapt to the growing pressures by the United States, aiming to strengthen European commitment in common safety and support Ukraine in a crucial moment of the conflict. For his part, Trump is preparing to receive the two European leaders strong in the belief that France and Great Britain, as most of the NATO allies, are not doing enough for common security, considering the current expenses for the defense of each member too low of the alliance. Increase them in a phase of economic difficulty, as is the current one, however it would impose on the European heads of European government, and above all cut into shopping, difficult to bear in the face of their respective public opinions.
After 2014, Putin never respected the ceased fire, demonstrating a continuous determination to pursue their goals in Ukraine. The last development provides for the attempt to have Kiev establish a president in favor of Russian interests, a step that would threaten not only Ukrainian sovereignty, but also the entire European order. In this scenario, Trump could find himself in difficulty: if his approach were to favor Moscow, the American president would risk appearing as a weak leader, unable to counter Russian maneuvers. An image that would represent for Trump his worst nightmare.
