Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron announced his intentions to urge US President Donald Trump to maintain a strong stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin during his upcoming visit to Washington. Macron emphasized the importance of this approach in confronting global powers such as China and Iran.

According to Anadolu Agency, Macron addressed these issues during a live question and answer session on the social media platform X. He expressed that both he and Trump share common strategic interests and planned to negotiate these during his visit. Macron asserted that displaying weakness towards Putin could undermine credibility when dealing with other significant global players like China.

In response to Trump's recent remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump labeled a "dictator without elections," Macron defended Zelenskyy as the legitimate leader of Ukraine, who was elected through free elections. He contrasted this with Putin's history of allegedly manipulating elections and suppressing opposition.

Macron further highlighted the ongoing security challenges posed by Russia, stressing the need for Europe to bolster its defense and security measures. He stated that the US and France were preparing for potential future conflicts and emphasized that Russia's actions continue to threaten European stability.

While clarifying France's current stance on military involvement in Ukraine, Macron mentioned that France does not intend to deploy troops there at present. However, he did not rule out the possibility of contributing forces to secure Ukraine post-conflict, in collaboration with allies.

Macron also stated that discussions with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy were scheduled, reinforcing France's support for Ukraine's potential EU and NATO membership.

The dynamics between the US and European countries have become strained following Trump's decision to engage in direct discussions with Putin regarding Ukraine, excluding European leaders. This tension was further highlighted by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's suggestion that European nations should provide peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, emphasizing that such a deployment should be non-NATO.

Macron's engagement with Trump and subsequent discussions are expected to address these growing transatlantic tensions and explore pathways for securing European interests amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.