Transatlantic Leaders Discuss Ukraine Crisis: Macron, Stoltenberg, and Merkel Meet with Trump

French President Emmanuel Macron held a 40-minute phone call Wednesday with US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss the war in Ukraine. The call focused on making progress toward resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, as European leaders try to balance American pressure for a quick deal with their commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty.

The Élysée Palace said the leaders discussed recent US mediation efforts and welcomed attempts to reach "a robust and sustainable peace in Ukraine and put an end to the massacres." They agreed this is a critical moment for Ukraine and its people, as well as for Euro-Atlantic security.

This call comes just days after the three European leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in London on Monday. That meeting was meant to show strong support for Ukraine at a time when the US is again pressuring Zelensky to make concessions to end the war with Russia.

The timing matters. Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the Ukraine war quickly, but European allies worry about any deal that would reward Russian aggression or leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attacks. The European leaders are trying to ensure Ukraine gets real security guarantees in any future ceasefire or peace agreement.

Macron and Starmer will lead another video meeting Thursday of the "coalition of the willing" - countries supporting Ukraine that want to provide security guarantees as part of any potential ceasefire or peace deal. This group represents Europe's attempt to stay involved in shaping Ukraine's future, even as Trump takes the lead on negotiations.

The French presidency said this "intensive work continues and will continue in the coming days," suggesting more diplomatic activity ahead. But the challenge remains: how to end a brutal war while ensuring Russia doesn't simply use any pause to regroup and attack again later.