Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was seated in the Oval Office gently trying to factcheck Donald Trump in real time as the US president pushed a narrative that Ukraine had taken advantage of US support during its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The US president’s turn towards a closer relationship with Vladimir Putin has created a strain that was evident on Monday at the United Nations as the US tried to scuttle a joint resolution from the European Union and Ukraine that condemned Russia three years after Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
That is a simple truth that has suddenly disappeared from the mouths of Trump’s advisers as the US president abruptly began negotiations with Russia and delivered Ukraine an ultimatum in the form of a punishing “rare earth metals deal”.
Macron leaves Washington without a firm promise of US support or a clear change in Trump’s stance on the war in Ukraine.
“This war cost all of us a lot of money,” said Macron as a scowling Trump looked on.
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