French President Emmanuel Macron said US President Donald Trump initially believed Ukraine would lose the war against Russia and sought a rapid peace deal.
In an interview with France TV, the French president said Trump entered office convinced that Kyiv was on the verge of collapse and that a quick settlement would be necessary.
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“What he saw, when he arrived, was that Ukraine would lose. That’s why he wanted to conclude a quick peace,” Macron said.
He also referenced tensions between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
“Remember, January-February 2025, it seemed like an eternity. He thought that Ukraine was going to lose. Things were going badly in the Oval office with the President Zelensky,” Macron said.
He further revealed that less than a year ago, during a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, an agreement was nearly put forward that would have involved ceding Ukrainian territory not yet captured by Russian forces.
According to Macron, European leaders later traveled to Washington to argue against such proposals and stress that forcing territorial concessions on Kyiv was unacceptable.
“We went as a delegation to Washington in the middle of August to say it is not possible. We’re trying, and from there, a huge amount of ground has been covered.”
Macron credited Ukraine itself for changing perceptions in Washington.
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