Macron Warns Trump: ‘Don’t Be Weak on Putin’ as Ukraine’s Fate Hangs in Balance

French President Emmanuel Macron urges Donald Trump to maintain a firm stance against Vladimir Putin, stressing Ukraine’s survival is at stake.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his intention to inform U.S. counterpart Donald Trump that maintaining a strong stance against Russian leader Vladimir Putin is in the shared interest of both Americans and Europeans, as U.S.-led negotiations aim to resolve the nearly three-year conflict in Ukraine.

The White House announced that Macron is scheduled to visit Washington on Monday for a meeting with Trump.

During a one-hour Q&A session on social media Thursday, Macron stated that he would tell Trump: “You must not show weakness when dealing with President Putin. That doesn’t align with your image or serve your interests. If you appear weak in front of Putin, how can you be credible when facing China?”

Recent statements by Trump, which align with Putin’s narrative and express a desire for direct negotiations with Moscow, have caused concern among European allies and Ukrainian officials. However, Macron proposed that Trump’s strategy to inject “uncertainty” into discussions with Russia might actually empower Western allies in these negotiations.

Macron stated that Putin “is unsure of what Trump might do, believing he’s capable of anything,” adding that “this uncertainty benefits us and Ukraine.”

Macron expressed his intention to convince Trump that the interests of the U.S. and Europeans align, stating: “Allowing Russia to take control of Ukraine would render it unstoppable.”

Macron stated that any peace agreement must be discussed with Ukrainians and Europeans present at the negotiation table.

“We desire peace, but not at the cost of a ceasefire that requires Ukraine to surrender. That would be perilous and likely embolden Russia to advance further—we’ve already witnessed such consequences,” he stated.

Macron also seemed prepared to respond to Trump’s call for increased defense spending. “We Europeans must intensify our military efforts,” he stated.

When questioned about the possibility of deploying French troops to Ukraine, he stated that he would not send soldiers to engage in combat there. Instead, they would be part of a security force designed to provide “guarantees” once a peace agreement is reached.

He stated, “Within a framework planned with our allies, we don’t rule out the possibility of deploying forces that could contribute to ensuring Ukraine’s security once peace has been negotiated.”