UK’s Prince William will “maintain conferences” with US President-elect Donald Trump and outgoing First Lady Jill Biden whereas in Paris for the Saturday reopening of Notre Dame on behalf of the UK, Kensington Palace stated.
“While in Paris, His Royal Highness may even maintain conferences with the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, and US President Elect, Donald Trump,” the Palace stated in a press launch.
Trump lands in Paris
Trump on Saturday landed in Paris on his first worldwide journey since his election win, making ready for a day of intense diplomacy earlier than attending the reopening ceremony for the Notre Dame cathedral restored after the 2019 hearth.
President Emmanuel Macron scored a serious coup in Trump’s acceptance of the invitation to attend the ceremony within the night, the place he might be joined by scores of different leaders.
The occasion supplies a novel likelihood for leaders to brush shoulders with Trump earlier than the tycoon turned politician takes workplace in January.
Trump arrived at Orly airport within the south of Paris aboard a personal airplane simply earlier than 0700 GMT, stated an airport supply, asking to not be named.
He is to carry talks on the Elysee Palace with Macron at 1500 GMT.
Ukrainian chief Volodymyr Zelensky, who is because of meet Macron an hour later at 1600 GMT, might also meet Trump, a Ukrainian official stated on Friday.
Such a gathering can be of giant significance given the fears in Kyiv that Trump, who as soon as boasted he may finish Russia’s struggle on Ukraine in 24 hours, might urge concessions to Moscow.
The Notre Dame opening ceremony will itself begin at 1800 GMT. Trump is anticipated to go away on Sunday and it’s not clear if he’ll return to the church for morning mass that day.
Macron invited each Trump and outgoing President Joe Biden. Trump accepted the invite, whereas the present administration might be represented by First Lady Jill Biden.
Trump posted on his Truth Social web page that Macron had “accomplished an exquisite job making certain that Notre Dame has been restored to its full stage of glory, and much more so. It might be a really special occasion for all!”
For Macron, the invitation to Trump marks a way of deja vu as he tries to woo an impulsive US president with whom he has had sharp disagreements.
Macron welcomed Trump in 2017, after his first election, with the glamour of dinner on the Eiffel Tower and the pomp of watching a Bastille Day navy parade down the Champs-Elysees — which Trump later stated he needed to emulate in Washington.
Trump’s relationship with Macron steadily soured, albeit not as shortly because it did with various different leaders, corresponding to then German chancellor Angela Merkel.
In 2019, Trump stated the French chief was “very, very nasty” and lashed out at his financial file after Macron criticized the US stage of dedication to the NATO alliance.
When Trump received once more a month in the past, Macron was one of many first world leaders to talk to Trump by phone to congratulate him.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has determined to not make the journey, after her prsence was initially introduced by Brussels.
She is within the throes of a serious spat with Macron after going to Montevideo on Friday to announce the conclusion of a free commerce settlement between the EU and 4 South American international locations, which is opposed by France and another European international locations.