Macron says Putin would have duped Trump if he doesn’t commit to Zelenskyy meeting

If Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t commit by Monday to meet Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he would have duped US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

“If that doesn’t happen by Monday, the deadline set by President Trump, it means that once again President Putin played President Trump,” Macron said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday.

Trump has threatened “consequences” if the Russian and Ukrainian leaders don’t meet.

Zelenskyy also recalled on Friday a statement by Trump that he would give Putin a week or two to agree on a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader before potentially announcing new action against Russia.

“Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody,”Zelenskyy said.