Trump meets Zelensky in return to world stage at Notre Dame reopening

US President-elect Donald Trump has returned to the world stage while also meeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral.

Mr Trump was among dozens of world leaders at the event to mark the restoration of the French landmark which was destroyed by a fire in 2019. Also there was Prince William, who was pictured shaking hands with Mr Trump.

More than a month remains until Mr Trump is inaugurated, but against the backdrop of two major land wars in Europe and the Middle East, as well as several other devastating conflicts in Africa and Asia, world leaders have been jostling for his attention.

The meeting with Mr Zelensky, brokered, and attended, by French president Emmanuel Macron, comes at a crucial time for Ukraine.

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Mr Trump has pledged to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine within 24 hours of his 20 January inauguration, though his officials have floated the idea of forcing Kyiv to cede territory to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to achieve that aim.

Mr Zelensky later described the meeting as “good and productive”, adding: “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace.”

This week, the Ukrainian president sent his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, to the US to meet with Mr Trump’s representatives, as well as the current Joe Biden administration, in a bid to ensure Washington’s continued support.

Prior to Mr Zelensky’s arrival, while Mr Trump and Mr Macron were standing outside the Elysee palace, the US president-elect hinted at what was on the agenda.

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“It certainly seems like the world is going a little crazy right now,” he said. “And we’ll be talking about that.”

Mr Macron is one of only a handful of European leaders who were in power during Mr Trump’s first term. Back then, he used flattery and pomp to curry favour with the unpredictable Mr Trump.

Second time around, the invitation to the reopening of Notre Dame suggests he will adopt the same strategy. The stakes, however, are considerably higher.

The French premier has become a champion of Ukraine’s fight against Russia, earlier this year becoming the first Western leader to say he was open to the idea of European troops being stationed in Ukraine.

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Beyond aiding Ukraine’s hopes of a prosperous deal, Mr Macron will want to have been present in the meeting between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump to ensure Europe has a seat at the negotiating table, according to Nicolas Tenzer, a French former senior civil servant and expert on Russia.

British and US former officials during Mr Trump’s first term toldThe Independent it was certainly possible that the US president-elect could do a deal over their heads, negotiating directly with Mr Putin.

It comes as Mr Macron’s government has been cast into chaos after what he called a “coalition of the irresponsible”, including the far-left and hard-right, united to push through a vote of no-confidence in the French president’s pick for prime minister, Michel Barnier.

France now risks ending the year without a stable government or a 2025 budget, although the constitution allows for special measures that would avert a US-style government shutdown.

It was expected that Mr Macron would appoint a new prime minister prior to the reopening of the Notre Dam after he said during a nation address on Thursday that he would pick someone “in the coming days”.

But while the meeting with Mr Trump may have been a diplomatic success for Mr Macron, the US president-elect, among dozens of world leaders, arrived on Saturday to a country still without a legitimate prime minister. Mr Barnier, upon Mr Macron’s request, is acting as a caretaker prime minister prior to the next appointment.