UPDATE - French President Macron hosts first in-person meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump since US election victory

UPDATE WITH DETAILS OF THE MEETING, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ahead of the ceremony marking the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, a first tripartite meeting was held on Saturday at the Elysee Palace in Paris involving French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and US President-elect Donald Trump.

The meeting marks the first face-to-face discussion between Zelenskyy and Trump since the latter’s election victory, following a phone call on November 6.

French President Emmanuel Macron personally welcomed Trump at the Elysee Palace's entrance, highlighting the strong ties between the two leaders during Trump’s first term in office.

“It is a great honor for the French people to welcome you five years later,” Macron stated. “You were the president at the time when the cathedral burned, and I remember the solidarity and your immediate action. So welcome back again.”

Trump, on his part, reflected on his past collaborations with France and praised the French people.

“We had a great relationship, as everyone knows, and we’ve accomplished a lot together,” he said.

Trump also touched on global challenges, hinting at future discussions with international partners.

“It certainly seemed like the world is a little crazy right now, and we’ll be talking about that,” Trump added.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy arrived at the Elysee Palace to join Trump and Macron to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war.

The trilateral meeting lasted just over 30 minutes, with the details of the discussion remaining undisclosed for now.

Originally, Macron was scheduled to meet with each leader separately, but Ukrainian sources suggested that Zelenskyy had expressed a desire to meet with Trump, France 24 reported.

It is expected approximately 40 heads of state will attend the reopening ceremony, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Prince William, son of King Charles III.

The reopening of Notre Dame marks a significant achievement in the long restoration process, which included extensive cleaning of the cathedral’s stonework and structural repairs in the wake of the April 2019 fire, which investigators said was probably due to an accident.

Starting Dec. 16, the cathedral will return to regular visiting hours and will host additional events, including the return of the Crown of Thorns – which played a role in the Passion of Jesus, his suffering on the cross – on Dec. 13.