Reopening of Notre Dame
Unusual reception at the Élysée Palace – Trump in Paris
Updated on December 7, 2024 – 6:51 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
It’s a first: After his election victory, Donald Trump meets Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky. For the latter, a lot is at stake.
A few weeks before his inauguration, US President-elect Donald Trump returned to the world stage with a visit to France. French President Emmanuel Macron received the Republican at the Élysée Palace in Paris for bilateral talks. The two then met there with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to talk about the future of the country attacked by Russia.
In the evening, at Macron’s invitation, Trump wanted to take part in the ceremonial reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral. It is his first trip abroad since winning the US presidential election in early November. On January 20th, Trump will be sworn in as president.
His visit to Paris coincides with a domestic political crisis in France, which is also putting Macron under considerable pressure. The French president rolled out the red carpet for the Republican and received him with some pomp at his official residence – which is unusual for a meeting with a colleague who has not yet been sworn in. The two shook hands several times when greeting each other, hugged each other and posed for photos.
During Trump’s first term in office, Macron made a noticeable effort to maintain a good relationship with the Republican – despite all political differences. The Frenchman publicly presented himself as a strong European counterpart to probably the most powerful man in the world. Even after his re-election, Macron is now at the forefront when it comes to getting along well with Trump.
At the start of the meeting, Trump praised his “great relationship” with Macron. Referring to the numerous conflicts around the world, the future US president said: “It seems that the world is going a little crazy right now and we will talk about it.”
In addition to Macron, Trump and Zelensky, around 40 heads of state and government will take part in the ceremony to reopen Notre Dame with around 3,000 guests, including Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Polish President Andrzej Duda. US President Joe Biden is represented by his wife Jill.
The richest person in the world is also expected in Paris when it reopens: Elon Musk was due to land at Le Bourget Airport on Saturday, a source at the Paris airport, which is often used by private jets, told the AFP news agency.
The cathedral was badly damaged in a fire five years ago and has since been renovated. For Macron, the reopening of the Paris landmark is a highlight of his seven-year term in office. When the president promised to rebuild Notre Dame within five years after the fire, many thought it was impossible. Macron is likely to see receiving the future US president at the nationally important reopening celebration as a special coup.
For Trump, the visit to Paris is his first trip abroad and his first meeting with many of his future counterparts since his election at the beginning of November. Among other things, he wants to distance himself from his predecessor Joe Biden on Ukraine policy.
During the election campaign, the Republican announced that he would end the war before he was sworn in, but without explaining how that would be possible. There are fears that the future US president will cut his country’s massive aid to Ukraine and that Kiev could be forced to recognize territorial losses to Russia.
Before Trump’s visit to Paris, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) made it clear that he expected an agreement with the future US President on a peace solution for Ukraine. “I am confident that we can develop a common strategy for Ukraine,” Scholz told the newspapers of the Funke media group. He has already had “extensive telephone conversations” with Trump and his government is “also in direct contact with those responsible for security policy.”
