Macron, Zelensky heard on hot-mic talking about Trump at G7 meeting

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French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday were heard on a live microphone discussing President Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Leaders’ summit in Evian-les-Bains.

“Yesterday, we had a difficult discussion in front of the camera,” Macron said of the G7 meeting with Trump regarding the war in Ukraine.

The conversation took place as Macron greeted his Ukrainian counterpart upon his arrival as they walked the grounds of the Hotel Royal.

Macron is also heard urging Zelensky to stay longer at the summit. The Ukrainian responds that he is scheduled to visit Brussels the next day to speak with leaders in the European Union.

Macron also inquired if Zelensky had a bilateral meeting with Trump scheduled, adding, “OK, I will arrange that,” according to audio from the conversation.

The conversation highlights the close relationship between the two as they try to keep Ukraine’s fight against Russia front-and-center, despite the Ukraine war seemingly dropping off the Trump administration’s radar amid the war in Iran.

Zelensky on Tuesday also laid out Ukraine’s urgent need for more air defense missiles, as Russia seeks to inflict maximum pain through air strikes.

Trump and Zelensky spoke briefly Tuesday morning alongside other G7 leaders. Trump later confirmed that they are scheduled to speak again later in the day.

Zelensky has been campaigning among Western leaders and the “Coalition of the Willing“, urging them to apply maximum pressure on Russia to end the war as strikes on Kyiv ramp up. The Kremlin struck the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery overnight on Monday, adding to the growing attacks Ukraine’s capital.

Zelensky has pushed for more sanctions and weapons transfers to force Russian leader Vladimir Putin into negotiations to end the war.

G7 leaders agreed to “increase pressure on Russia, including through oil and gas sanctions” amid the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, targeting Moscow’s shadow fleets in a unified effort.

Meanwhile, Trump has been consumed with talks geared towards ending the war with Iran, but said the conflict would soon “back in the rearview mirror” after advancing a memorandum of understanding with Tehran to extend a ceasefire agreement.

Trump announced that he’d planned to stay in Évian-les-Bains, France on Wednesday for a few hours longer than expected to attend a dinner arranged by Macron, who also encouraged Zelensky to postpone his departure.

“I’m a fan of beautiful places. And I was leaving in the afternoon and then the French president, who happens to be a very nice man, invited me to dinner at Versailles. And Versailles is not a gold leaf,” Trump told reporters at a press conference.

“Versailles is the real deal. And I said, I’d like to do it,” he added.

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Donald Trump

Emmanuel Macron

French President Emanuel macron

russia ukraine war

Trump administration

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

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