CNN
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Notre Dame Cathedral offered the glowing backdrop for President-elect Donald Trump's return to the geopolitical stage on Saturday, as French officers capped the five-year venture to revive the towering tower with a reopening ceremony attended by dozens of world leaders set landmarks.
Trump, who will return to the White Home in simply over six weeks, arrived in Paris at a vital time for governments in Western Europe. The area is, like France itself caught between a shaky liberal democratic order and the rising right-wing actions that wish to upend it.
French President Emmanuel Macron, now in his second five-year time period, used the chance to carry a personal assembly with Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The three ended up standing collectively for a stressed photograph alternative. Macron himself is in search of to stabilize a crumbling authorities at house whereas sustaining his affect overseas – most persistently on the subject of the way forward for Western assist for Ukraine in opposition to Russia.
Zelensky's place is extra harmful. Trump has insisted he has a plan to carry quick peace to the area, though allies of Ukraine worry the president-elect might push for a ceasefire or peace deal that may be extra useful to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has little His conflict of conquest signaled curiosity in renunciation.
After his assembly with Trump and Macron, Zelensky gave little away in a social media publish, describing it as a “good and productive trilateral assembly.”
“All of us need this conflict to finish as shortly as doable and in a simply method,” Zelensky wrote on X, including: “President Trump is decided as at all times.”
Macron greeted Trump earlier than the ceremony on the Élysée Palace with the 2's now customary handshake earlier than the 2 briefly addressed reporters.
“We had a good time collectively and had…actually nice successes working collectively on protection and offense,” Trump mentioned of his first time period. “And it looks as if the world goes slightly loopy proper now.”
Macron known as Trump's go to “an ideal honor of the French individuals” and recalled Trump's response to the Notre-Dame hearth 5 years in the past.
“You have been president for the primary time then and I keep in mind the solidarity and your quick motion,” Macron mentioned. “So welcome again. We’re actually excited to have you ever right here.”
In photos: Notre Dame's gorgeous restoration 5 years after the hearth
The French president's success in extraditing Trump to Paris earned him uncommon acclaim from the French press, which known as it a “diplomatic coup.” Macron, who final month turned the primary overseas chief to publicly congratulate Trump on his election, efficiently made his means right into a room with Trump and Zelensky for a closed-door assembly that lasted simply over 30 minutes. The president-elect and Ukrainian head of state final met weeks earlier than the US election in New York for a dialog that Zelensky described as “heat, good, constructive.”
The main points of Trump's go to to Paris have been hammered out over a number of days, however the president-elect informed his crew as quickly because the invitation arrived that he wish to attend. He has lengthy been fascinated by the cathedral and even tweeted greater than 5 years in the past when a hearth ravaged the Gothic constructing on the Île de la Cité, an island in Paris' Seine River. The enduring tower and roof have been destroyed as tv viewers all over the world watched in horror.
Investigators imagine the hearth was an accident, however haven’t but decided the direct trigger.
“It’s so horrible to look at the large hearth at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,” Trump posted on April 15, 2019, throughout his first time period within the Oval Workplace. “Maybe flying water tankers could possibly be used to place it out. Should act shortly!”
His suggestion was ignored by the hearth division and France's civil safety company, Sécurité Civile, responded on social media lower than two hours later, warning – in English – that “water bombing planes…might result in the collapse of your complete construction of the cathedral.”
Trump has lengthy sought the type of social recognition he’s receiving this weekend from Macron and different European leaders involved concerning the course of the brand new administration, regardless of a few of his home critics – led by late-night comedians – Mocked Trump earlier than his departure.
“If every little thing goes in accordance with plan, he wish to purchase it and switch it right into a on line casino,” Jimmy Kimmel joked earlier this week. Jimmy Fallon joked that the cathedral would “go up in flames once more” if Trump entered.
For Macron, nonetheless, this event was not a trigger for contempt.
Instantly after the hearth, he promised to rebuild and reopen the destroyed cathedral in 5 years – a deadline he barely met. There’s much less room for error and rather more at stake in his efforts to take care of the delicate coalition supporting Ukraine.
The USA is the only largest provider of army help to Ukraine and is essential in offering Western assist for its protection. Nevertheless, Trump has expressed doubts concerning the worth of U.S. help to Ukraine and has repeatedly claimed the conflict wouldn’t have began if he had been president.
Macron's congratulations to the president-elect final month – despatched earlier than most US media retailers had even known as the race – alluded to his relationship with Trump when he was first within the White Home, as soon as described as a bromance , though this was not the case final.
“Congratulations President @realDonaldTrump. Able to work collectively as we’ve got achieved for 4 years,” Macron wrote on X final month. “Along with your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For extra peace and prosperity.”
Later that night, he and Trump spoke by phone, Macron's workplace mentioned.
The French president has made a brand new push to win favor with the returning president and his allies. CNN has reported that Macron plans to ask Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, whom the president-elect has tapped for a task in his administration, to a summit on synthetic intelligence in Paris in early February. Musk was additionally current on the ceremonies at Notre Dame.

Trump additionally met with Prince William on the British ambassador's residence in Paris following the ceremony. “He’s doing a improbable job,” Trump mentioned of Prince William, calling the inheritor to the British throne a “good man.”
First Girl Jill Biden additionally attended the Notre Dame ceremony, ending her final official state journey overseas whereas President Joe Biden determined to remain in the USA. Nevertheless, the First Girl neither visited the Élysée Palace nor attended any high-profile conferences.
Saturday's journey got here per week after Trump introduced he had chosen the daddy of Jared Kushner's son-in-law, actual property developer Charles Kushner, to be the following U.S. ambassador to France. Charles Kushner was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after pleading responsible in 2004 to 16 counts of tax evasion, one rely of retaliating in opposition to a federal witness and one other rely of mendacity to the Federal Election Fee.
Macron was not the primary G7 chief to befriend Trump for the reason that election. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida on November 29 and dined with him at Mar-a-Lago.
At dinner that night, Trump joked – throughout a dialogue of his proposed tariffs – that Canada might keep away from any ache by changing into the 51st U.S. state, two sources briefed on the dialog informed CNN.
“The president has aggravated us,” Canadian Public Security Minister Dominic LeBlanc, sitting on the identical desk, informed reporters in Ottawa this week. “After all, that was in no way a severe touch upon this subject.”
This text and headline have been up to date with new reviews.