Evian-les-Bains, France

French President Emmanuel Macron indicated on Tuesday that his meeting with President Donald Trump the previous night had been “difficult,” coinciding with the start of the highly anticipated G7 summit.

In a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Macron described the recent discussion he had with Trump as challenging, particularly focusing on the issue of Russia’s aggression in neighboring regions.

The underlying tension highlights ongoing frustrations among Trump and European leaders, stemming from issues like the U.S. approach to the conflict with Iran, remarks about potentially annexing Greenland, and Trump’s critical stance towards Zelenskiy and Ukraine.

A European official, reflecting on Trump’s demeanor at the summit, remarked that “Trump is business as usual. Sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s not so good.”

While at the Hotel Royal, Macron and Zelenskiy were accidentally recorded discussing strategies to engage with Trump. Macron encouraged Zelenskiy, speaking in English, to extend his stay at the summit, acknowledging that Ukrainian officials planned to head to Brussels soon.

Macron also inquired if Zelenskiy had arranged a direct meeting with Trump. Zelenskiy responded he hadn’t, noting he had requested a meeting to coincide with his 80th birthday when speaking to Trump earlier that week.

Macron assured him, “Okay, I’ll take care of it.”

It appears that Macron’s efforts paid off, as Trump later informed reporters that he “will be meeting with [Zelenskiy] later today.”

Trump arrived 50 minutes late to a morning group meeting on Ukraine and initially avoided engaging with Zelenskiy, though he was warmly welcomed by other G7 leaders. After the meeting, Trump and Zelenskiy ended up speaking for several minutes, with Zelenskiy sharing a photo on social media of their animated discussion.

During the summit, European leaders underscored the vulnerability of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the ongoing conflict and urged Trump to bolster U.S. support. Zelenskiy stated, “The priorities are clear: more licenses for the production of air defense missiles, a winter aid package, and increased pressure on Russia. Importantly, the United States stands ready to provide a backstop across these efforts.”

Additionally, Zelenskiy proposed to Trump during a phone call on Sunday the idea of a three-way meeting with Putin.

“Yesterday, we discussed with President Trump the possibility of holding such a meeting in the United States in a format that would be difficult for President Putin to refuse,” Zelenskiy mentioned in a video posted prior to his departure for France. “Let’s see what the outcome will be. If Russia also rejects this opportunity, more pressure will be needed.”

Just before the G7 commenced, Russia launched a barrage of missiles at Ukraine’s largest city, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 people.