Macron and Starmer will convince Trump not to rush to a ceasefire deal with Russia, keep Europe involved and discuss military guarantees to Ukraine avoiding an unfavorable peace deal
The President of France – Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (U.K.) – Keir Starmer, are set to travel to Washington next week, separately, as European leaders seek to address growing concerns over U.S. President – Donald Trump’s evolving stance on Ukraine and his outreach to Moscow without involving Ukraine and Europe.
Macron and Starmer will convince Trump not to rush to a ceasefire deal with the President of Russia – Vladimir Putin at any cost, keep Europe involved and discuss military guarantees to Ukraine. Macron, who has cultivated a rapport with Trump since their first Presidential terms, has been vocal about the risks of an unfavorable peace deal. He warned that any settlement perceived as Ukraine’s capitulation could signal weakness to adversaries such as China and Iran.
Macron said, “I will tell him: deep down you cannot be weak in the face of President (Putin). It’s not you, it’s not what you’re made of and it’s not in your interests.”
The visits come amid a rift between Trump and the President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump described as a “dictator” that has alarmed Kyiv’s European allies, already reeling from a more aggressive U.S. posture on trade, diplomacy and even domestic European politics. Meanwhile, Starmer, who has cautioned against a temporary peace that might enable Putin to regroup and launch future offensives.
Speaking on a Fox News Podcast, Trump said Macron and Starmer had not done anything to end the war but described Macron as “a friend of mine” and Starmer as “a very nice guy”.
Despite Trump’s scepticism, Britain and France are positioning themselves as key players in European security, signalling their readiness to assume a greater role in safeguarding Ukraine. They are working with allies on military guarantees for Ukraine, with Macron and Starmer expected to push Trump for U.S. assurances in any post-ceasefire scenario.
These efforts have been bolstered by contributions from Denmark and the Baltic States, which are exploring potential roles in ensuring Ukraine’s security, should a peace agreement be reached. While Britain and France have ruled out deploying troops immediately, discussions are focused on providing air, maritime, land, and cyber support to deter future Russian aggression. Air and naval assets could be stationed in Poland or Romania to restore safe international airspace and secure the Black Sea for global shipping.
A key component of these talks is the possibility of deploying European peacekeepers. While direct U.S. military involvement on the ground is not expected, the continued presence of U.S. medium-range missiles and nuclear deterrence will remain vital to European security strategies.
The current discussions do not propose stationing troops on Ukraine’s front lines or its extensive 2,000-km border with Russia. Instead, European forces may be deployed further west to protect critical infrastructure such as ports and nuclear facilities, thereby reassuring the Ukrainian population. However, Russia has made clear its opposition to any European military presence in Ukraine.
