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French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a tripartite meeting Saturday at the Elysee Palace with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, ahead of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
This marked the first face-to-face discussion between Zelenskyy and Trump since the U.S. election, following a phone call on Nov. 6.
Macron welcomed Trump warmly, recalling the solidarity shown after the 2019 Notre-Dame fire. "It is a great honor for the French people to welcome you five years later," Macron said, referring to Trump's support during that time.
Trump reflected on his previous collaborations with France and touched on global challenges. "It certainly seemed like the world is a little crazy right now, and we’ll be talking about that," he said.
The 30-minute trilateral meeting focused on the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict. Details of the discussion were not immediately released.
Originally, Macron was scheduled to meet with each leader separately, but sources said Zelenskyy requested a meeting with Trump.
Around 40 heads of state are expected to attend the Notre-Dame reopening ceremony, marking the completion of repairs after the April 2019 fire.
The cathedral will open to the public on Dec. 16, with additional events, including the return of the Crown of Thorns on Dec. 13.
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