In early december‚ a significant three-way meeting took place at the Élysée Palace in Paris where Volodymyr Zelensky‚ Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron came together during Notre-Dame Cathedrals grand re-opening festivities
The get-together marked a first-time face-to-face talk between the Ukrainian leader and the US president-elect (who won just last month); the timing couldnt be more crucial for discussing East-European security matters. The French capital became a meeting-point for various state and religious figures who attended the historic cathedralʼs comeback
The discussion focused on critical defense topics — with French and Ukrainian sides looking to secure backing from the future US administration. However Trumpʼs previous statements about Americas role in the East-European conflict suggest some un-certainty about future support levels
The high-level meet-up happened at a time when international backing remains key for Kievʼs defense needs; though the incoming US leadership team has shown mixed signals about their position on providing aid to the region