Zelensky and Macron Coordinated Tactics on How to Handle Trump

A brief conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has drawn attention during the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. The two leaders were caught on camera in what is speculated to be an attempt to coordinate how to handle U.S. President Donald Trump.

When Zelensky arrived at the meeting on Tuesday, the two leaders were captured by a TV camera, while a microphone picked up parts of their conversation.

According to Politico, among other things, they discussed meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and the day’s talks on Ukraine.

After welcoming Zelensky with a hug, Macron can be heard asking whether the Ukrainian president has a one-on-one meeting scheduled with Donald Trump. Zelensky’s reply is unclear, but the leaders’ reactions did not give the impression that such a meeting was certain or arranged.

At the same time, Macron tried to persuade Zelensky to stay longer in France. Zelensky replied that he needed to travel to Brussels for an EU summit on Ukraine’s membership.

What Macron had in mind is unclear, but the exchange has led to speculation that the French president wanted to arrange further conversations or meetings with Trump behind the scenes.

The conversation then continued with discussions about special meetings focused on the war in Ukraine. Zelensky is invited to the summit even though Ukraine is not a member of the G7 group.

Watch the much-noted conversation between Macron and Zelensky during the summit:

The highlighted conversation can be seen as yet another example of how EU leaders are attempting to coordinate Zelensky’s actions during the ongoing war. At the same time, both the U.S. and Russia have shown little interest in giving the EU a seat at the negotiation table.

Donald Trump has repeatedly accused European leaders of hindering rather than promoting a peace deal. From the Russian side, the message has been that it is already too late for the EU to take a seat at the negotiating table, and thus also too late to influence the shape of an agreement that the European leaders may not fully support.

With the war in Iran now ended, there is reportedly concern among European representatives that Trump may once again try to take a more prominent role in the peace process between Ukraine and Russia, according to Politico.

Leaders of the G7 countries and the EU. © European Union, 2026

Trump’s Actions Noted

The war in Ukraine was in focus as G7 leaders gathered in France on Tuesday. Donald Trump stated that he urged Russia to reach an agreement to end the war, while several leaders called for increased pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky thanked the G7 countries for their support of Ukraine and their suggestions on how Russia can be pressured into peace. During the day, he also met with Donald Trump in a one-on-one meeting, possibly the one that Macron hinted was needed and made sure to arrange after his walk with Zelensky.

According to the Ukrainian president, positive discussions took place about continued U.S. support, including the possibility that Ukraine could eventually manufacture the Patriot air defense system domestically.

Throughout the day, a video clip from the G7 meeting has also drawn attention. Several media outlets have highlighted what is speculated to be a situation where Donald Trump avoids contact with Volodymyr Zelensky as the G7 leaders gathered.