Catherine Field: Europe Correspondent on the meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump

The French President has met with Donald Trump at the White House, seeking stability following America's sidestep of traditional European ties.  

It comes as world leaders met in Kyiv on the third-year anniversary of Russia's invasion, and the UN General Assembly voted against a US resolution to end the war without reference to Russian aggression.  

Newstalk ZB European Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking Emmanuel Macron will be saying Europe understands his frustrations with defence spending.  

But Macron will also be asking Trump to keep the US European security guarantee in place, as it's what their security and economics are based on. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In France, Catherine Field, how are you.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
I'm fine, thank you, MIKEE.

Speaker 1 (00:04):
And I was just watching old Macron wandering with Trump,
and I didn't see the handshake. Whether azapple down around around,
they're off for lunch. I mean, he's got a job,
hasn't he, Macron, he's representing I'm assuming.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
All of Europe. He is. Indeed, yes, just to be
precise on that, Mike, it was a handshake, not a hug.
That was the first thing that the French TV said
when they saw it. Of course, in the past twenty seventeen,
when Macron first met Donald Trump, then president, it was
a hug, that's all warmth, all smiles. We haven't seen
that today. There's visits by Emmanuel Macron, the first European

(00:38):
leader to have a one on one with Trump since
he took office. Of course, coincides with a third anniversary
of the start of the war he does. He has
a really hard job to convince Donald Trump that if
there is a quick deal with Vladimir Putin to stop
the war in Ukraine, then that risks being a bad deal.

(00:58):
And that's the message he's good to say. Look, if
it's a bad deal, you will end up on the
wrong side of history. It will weaken you. It'll make
you look weak to the Chinese. That's what he wants
to convince him about. He also wants to tell Trump, Okay,
we know what you're going on about European defense. We
know we need to do better. There is going to
be increased defense spending. There's a discussion about European defense capability.

(01:22):
But for the time being, he's going to say, please
can you keep that US security guarantee in place in Europe.
It's been there since the end of the Second World War.
That is what Europe's stability in Europ's economics are based on.
Please keep that in place. On top of that, he's
going to talk about this idea that Macromaan and the

(01:43):
UK Prime Minister Starma have come up with that there
could be some sort of European reassurance force that would
go into Ukraine after there was a peace settlement. Now,
of course they can't do that on their own. They
would need US intelligence and put they would need US
air support. Are going to say, if we do do that,
would you be able to help us out there? So

(02:05):
that's what is hoping he's going to get. We are
told from the Elisa Palace that you will not see
the usual Emmanuel Macron there, that you will see him
looking very serious and showing humility towards Donald Trump.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
As what we're told, no pressure. Then then the main
time back in Keev. I know that Starers and India
doing a tri dealer. Macrons obviously in Washington, so limited
the numbers. But once again we gather around the table
and what say, what We're with you.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
That's exactly yet. Yes, there was that decision to have
this big EU meeting in Kiev to mark the anniversary,
to say, yes, we are with you, we have been
with you since the start, we will be with you
at the end, and we'll be with you into the future.
That is the message that they hope to get across.
They did get that message. There was also the Canadian

(02:54):
Prime minister, the current Prime Minister Trudeau was also there.
And that's what they're trying to do, Mike. You know,
when you've all these European and non European leaders going there,
they're trying to counter what they see quite clearly as
Donald Trump siding with Putin, and they're saying, look, we
are still siding with you. And when you just look
at what else has happened in the last hour. That

(03:16):
UN resolution which condemned the Russian aggression in Ukraine that
the US voted against, that sided with Russia and North
Korea and Belarusia. So that is what they're trying to do,
and saying, look, you know, the United States might be
siding with Putin for the time being, but we are
still there. And I think I've said it before. Mike,
the French Defense Minister, reminded everyone today that fighting between

(03:41):
Russia and Ukraine is just two thousand kilometers away from
mainland France exactly.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
Just quickly, I noted mertzers off to talk to the
Social Democrats. He's got the nod to do that. Is
that an easy deal or not.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
Should be an easy deal. Matt says that he should
have a coalition in place by easter. That's the Here's
of April. Very interesting stuff coming from him though, Mike
warning that we're now at a five to midnight moment
that the mainstream parties have to act now if they're
going to stop the far right from really coming into

(04:14):
Parliament and the next elections. There. The other thing which
was extraordinary to hear him talk about this being the
end of the Transatlantic Alliance. Very unusual for a German
of his generation to say that. But you know what
they're hoping for, of course, is that Matt's and Emmanuel
macroanf they're both risk takers. They both know that times

(04:35):
are changing in Europe and Europe's going to have to
start talking at least about some sort of independent European
defense capability.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
Jeez, are interesting terms, aren't they. Catherine appreciated as always,
seen next week Catherine Field in France. For more from
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