French President Emmanuel Macron hosted US President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday to address the ongoing war, especially as Ukraine faces intensified Russian offensives and fears of wavering Western support.
With the three leaders agreeing to work towards a &ldquo;just solution&rdquo;, Zelenskyy described the 45-minute meeting at the &Eacute;lys&eacute;e Palace&nbsp;as &ldquo;good and productive.&rdquo; 
&ldquo;President Trump is, as always, resolute...we all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. Peace through strength is possible,&rdquo; Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Macron, who proposed the discussions, sought to reaffirm US support for Ukraine under Trump&rsquo;s incoming administration amid concerns over the president-elect&rsquo;s ambiguous pledge to &ldquo;end the war swiftly.&rdquo;
Trump has yet to provide details on his proposed strategy&nbsp;to end the war &ldquo;swiftly&rdquo;. He also recently appointed retired General Keith Kellogg--who is critical of US aid to Ukraine--as his envoy for Ukraine and Russia diplomacy.
This ambiguity has fuelled concerns in Kyiv about potential compromises or territorial concessions in future negotiations.
Zelenskyy&rsquo;s government has been urgently seeking assurances of continued military aid. Zelensky&rsquo;s chief of staff Andriy Yermak met with Kellogg in Washington earlier this week. He also met with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Trump&rsquo;s national security adviser Mike Waltz.
Saturday&rsquo;s trilateral meeting took place against a backdrop of heightened diplomatic activity and global attention, coinciding with celebrations marking the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, which was gutted in a fire in 2019.
Macron underscored the importance of unity, calling on Trump and Zelenskyy to &ldquo;continue our joint efforts for peace and security.&rdquo;
According to those familiar with the meeting, Trump was initially reluctant to participate, but Macron convinced the US president-elect to hold the joint meeting.
Macron used the occasion to rebuild diplomatic ties which were strained during Trump&rsquo;s first term, highlighting their shared history of solidarity. The French leader, keen to project strong ties with Trump, offered a full guard of honour and red-carpet treatment to the president-elect on his first international trip since the election.
The event also underscored ongoing challenges, with European leaders wary of Trump&rsquo;s critical views on NATO and their potential impact on the collective defense of Ukraine. The absence of outgoing President Joe Biden, whose&nbsp;administration recently approved an additional $725 million military aid package, further spotlighted the changing dynamics in US leadership.
First Lady Jill Biden represented her husband at the event.

Insiders say Trump needed to be convinced to attend

Trilateral talks underscore Kiev’s urgent need for international support against Russia

Macron Hosts Trump, Zelenskyy Meet

Trilateral talks underscore Kiev’s urgent need for international support against Russia

December 8, 2024 | 10:45 IST