Important Takeaways:

• President Trump said Monday that his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron marked an “important step” in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine…
• Trump and Macron, who have a long-standing relationship after both came to office in 2017, held a bilateral meeting and news conference Monday afternoon, after participating in a Group of Seven leadership call earlier in the day to mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Macron is the first European leader to visit the White House since Mr. Trump returned to office last month.
• “France is America’s oldest ally, our cherished partnership has been a force for freedom, prosperity and peace from the very beginning,” Mr. Trump said. “We’re now working on some very interesting developments, one in particular, as you know, the war between Russia and Ukraine.”
• Citing France’s support during the American Revolution and during World War II, Mr. Trump said the purpose of the meeting was to “end another battle,” the war between Russia and Ukraine.
• “The horrors of this gruesome and bloody war can scarcely be underestimated,” Mr. Trump said, citing the Russians and Ukrainians who have “needlessly died.” “It’s time to end this bloodletting and restore peace, and I think we’re going to do it.”
• Trump called his meeting with Macron an “important step” toward achieving a permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine. He said it’s in the best interest of the U.S., Ukraine, Russia and Europe more broadly to “stop the killing now and bring the world to peace.” He added that he hopes his legacy will be of “a peacemaker and a unifier.”
• Macron said with the new U.S. administration, there’s “good reason for President Trump to reengage with President Putin,” while warning that Putin could violate a negotiated peace. Macron said “being strong and having deterrence capacities is the only way to be sure it will be respected,” saying the U.S. “has the capacity to do so.”
• “A lot of my European colleagues are ready to be engaged, but we do need this American backup because this is part of the credibility of the security guarantees. And this is our collective deterrence capacity,” Macron said. “And I have the feeling that the president has this capacity.”
• Macron made clear the shared objective of peace, while praising the “bravery and resistance of the Ukrainian people.” The French president also touted the friendship between the U.S. and France, along with his personal friendship with Mr. Trump, while noting that this is a “very important moment for Europe.” Macron said European leaders are willing to be a “stronger partner” and do more on defense and security within the continent.
• Trump is also set to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House later this week.

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