Transcript of Macron corrects Trump on costs of Ukraine war and says: “Peace must not mean surrender” | BBC News

It is a stunning turn of events on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor, Ukraine. At the UN General Assembly, America sided with Russia and North Korea in voting against the resolution, condemning Russia's war. It came as Emmanuel Macron visited the White House for talks with the French President saying Donald Trump believed European peacekeepers would be accepted by Russia as a security guarantee underpinning any future deal. The French leader said he'd already spoken to the UK about a deployment, but added that the solidarity and support of America was crucial. Meanwhile, world leaders traveled to Kyiv to pledge further support for Ukraine with President Zelensky saying, We hope we can finish this war this year. Sakeer Starmer addressed the summit via video link. We have full coverage for you with the latest from Ukraine, and we'll be live in Moscow and at the UN in New York. But first, Gary O'Donahue is our top story from Washington.

It was an optimistic President Macron who came to the White House today, the first European leader to head to Washington since President Trump's re-election.

His task, an attempt to reach a consensus over ending the war in Ukraine and to stabilize the transatlantic relationship, which has been severely tested. Again, the relationship has been very special with France and very special with this gentleman on my right. It looked like the old love romance between these two was back, but the differences weren't far from the surface, notably on the relative contributions to Ukraine from the US and Europe.

Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They get their money back. No, in fact, to be frank, we paid. We paid 60% of the total effort. It was through, like the US, loans, guarantee, grants, and we provided the real money, to be clear.

But Donald Trump continues to insist Ukraine hands over half its key natural resources as compensation for America's contribution. He says such a deal with Ukraine's President, Zelensky, is close. I will be meeting with President Zelensky.

In fact, he may come in this week or next week to sign the agreement, which would be nice.

I'd love to meet him, would meet at the oval office. That issue of compensation is another bone of contention between between the US and Europe. It was up to Russia, said the French President, to pay.

This work costs the office a lot of money. This is the responsibility of Russia because the aggressor is Russia.

Where some agreement appears to be emerging, it's on the question of possible European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine after a truce, something both France and the UK are open to.

We also spoke about these issues at length with the President. We've worked with President Zelensky and to some of the details of the various phases of the negotiation. We've also been able to speak about some of this work with our British partners to talk about deployment elements of peace forces on Ukrainian soil, which are part of these security guarantees.

Later, President Macron said progress had been made, including on the question of troops.

Now there's a clear American message that the US, as an ally, is ready to provide that solidarity for that approach. That's a turning point, in my view.

There is still no concrete proposal for ending the war in Ukraine, but Europe's leaders will at least hope they are now back at the negotiating table. Clive, I think President Macron and other European leaders will take some heart from today's meeting. They are at least back at the table and talking. However, there were no reassurances from the President on whether America would provide any security guarantee and whether it would hold out for Ukraine getting its land back. Bear in mind, of course, last Friday, President Trump said President Macron and Prime Minister, Kyri Stammer, had done nothing to end this war. Now he's saying they're being a great help. His view, his mood, his attitudes can change just like that.

Indeed. All right, Gary, thank you. Gary O'Donahue there, live in Washington. Well, the United Nations General Assembly did back a resolution today, strongly criticizing Moscow's actions and supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity. Neda Tawfik is live in New York for us now. Neda, history will record that America, despite supporting Ukraine throughout the full-scale invasion by Russia, actually sided with the Kremlin in today's vote.

That's right, Clive. Here at the UN, what was supposed to be a symbolic moment to reaffirm Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity as it marks its third anniversary of the Russian invasion, instead turned into a dramatic day of diplomatic tension among allies. You had the United States not only siding with Russia, Belarus, and North Korea in the General Assembly, but Washington went a step further to produce its own competing texts in the General Assembly and in the Security Council. The British French and French ambassadors said that was done without any warning or any negotiation. The Trump administration's language didn't blame Russia for the invasion, and it didn't reaffirm Ukraine's territorial integrity. Just a few moments A few months ago, Clive, the Security Council passed its first ever resolution on Ukraine, that watered down US text, because remember, in the past, Russia has held a veto. This time around, that resolution passed. Europeans, though, saying there can be no peace when aggression is rewarded.

All right, Neda, thank you for that. Neda Tafik, there live at the UN in New York. Well, several world leaders gathered in Kyiv today to offer their continuing support for Ukraine. In the face of Russian aggression, they pledge more financial, military, and political help, as James Waterhouse reports now from Kyiv.

In Ukraine, the war is as impossible to escape as the politics surrounding it. For President Zelensky, today was about Remembrance and rallying his remaining allies. But there was one big absentee, the US. What followed were talks about military support, the likelihood of Ukraine joining the European Union.

Perhaps they could be earlier than 2030.

As well as the enforcing of any future ceasefire.

Any settlement must be based on a sovereign Ukraine, backed up with strong security guarantee guarantees. The UK is ready and willing to support this with troops on the ground. Welcome everyone to the first G7 meeting of 2025.

Ukraine and its European ally still have to work out how to stand up to Russia in the long term. At a separate gathering, after swerving questions about their relationship, President Zelensky issued this call to Donald Trump directly.

President Trump, we would really like to hear from you because all our people, all our families are very worried, will there be support from America? For our people, for life in general, it's so important that American support, American assistance, means.

The diplomatic chat has continued tonight, and there has been some substance today. But the tone has very much been about picking Ukraine up after two weeks of American foreign policy that has rocked its war effort. Never Nevertheless, there still yet might be scope for cooperation between Kyiv and Washington. The deal that would give the US access to Ukraine's natural resources in return for security guarantees is reportedly being finalized. President Zelensky has rejected previous draughts, calling it a debt which would take generations to pay. James Waterhouse, BBC News, Kyiv.

Three years after this conflict began, there is a military stalemate on the battlefield. Here's what Ukraine looked like back in 2022. The areas in red are under Russian military control. Three years later, you can see Russia has built a corridor there down to Crimea. But here in purple, Ukraine has managed to retake most of the territory that was under threat in the north. Well, Jeremy Bowen reports now on a nation determined to keep fighting but praying for peace.

Cars destroyed in the fight for Kyiv three years ago have been gathered into a memorial in Irpin, the suburb where Ukraine won the battle for its capital. Next to the new bridge, the ruins of the old one between Kyiv and Irpin are also preserved. The Ukrainian army blew the bridge to stop Russian tanks using it. Ukraine's Western allies, just like the Kremlin, expected these men would lose to Russia within days or weeks. Russian shelling was intense for Ukrainians, it felt like the worst of times. It was a dangerous journey for thousands of civilians who used the rubble as stepping stones to cross the river into relative safety inside Kyiv. But the country rallied when the Americans offered to evacuate President Zelensky, he told them he needed ammunition, not a ride. Zelensky donned military attire and posted videos telling Ukrainians that he was staying to lead the fight. But three years after they stopped the Russian invaders, marked with a Z from scoring a quick victory, the old Ukrainian nightmare of national extinction is back. Ukraine's modernized army is just about holding its own, here training near their border with the Russian province of Kursk. Their nightmare is Donald Trump.

He's put restoring America's relationship with Russia above Ukraine's fight to stay independent. And Trump has repeated Russian lies. Like the claim Ukraine started the war. Edward said Russia started it. They came to our home to kill us, our sons, our daughters, and our parents. That is why we are fighting. Along the border, Ukrainian troops are getting ready to rejoin the battle in Kursk, a chunk of Russia it seized last August and is fighting to keep. In the bunkers, warm and dry, these men are facing the prospect of losing the American support that has been vital for three years. Evhen, a squad leader and a veteran of the war in Kursk, says Ukraine is making more weapons of its own, and they will keep going.

It's good to get help from abroad.

Help won't last forever.

It's here today, it might be done tomorrow.

Soldiers here know that Putin believes Ukraine belongs to Russia, which is why they're alarmed by talk of Trump making a deal with him.

Putin wants to destroy our political system and to make Ukraine his vassal state.

Are there any circumstances under which Western countries, the Americans, should trust President Putin? No.

I don't have enough fingers to count how many times Putin lied to everyone, to the Russians, and to us, and to the West.

Fighting men in a snow-covered forest. It's a scene from Europe's past, and the challenge for leaders, for diplomats, is to make sure it's not a scene from Europe's future, because it might be. The point the Ukrainians make is that if President Putin is able to get what he wants by breaking international law and going to war, then it won't be the last time, not just for him, but for others. Back in Kyiv, three years ago, as the barricades went up, it was a straightforward fight for survival. For Ukrainians, it still is, but it is not straightforward.. Then, volunteers signed up to fight, talking about protecting their families. Now, that early enthusiasm has gone after huge casualties, and the authorities pursue men who won't fight. Dmitro and Maxim, then 18 and 19, both fought in the battle for Kyiv. Maxim on the left, served around 30 months in frontline combat. Three years on, both fear Trump will appease Putin as Britain appeased Nazi Germany before 1939.

It is a very dangerous moment for the entire world, not only for Ukraine. Even if United States will not provide us any more weapons or other support. I think that Donald Trump wants to become a new chamberlain who signed some treaty with Hitler, and we all know what it was in the result. But I think that Mr. Trump should be more focused on becoming somebody somebody like Churchill.

Three years ago, you were young guys volunteering for the army. You must have changed.

Everyone changed, and I have changed. I think that every Ukrainian and me in person matured during these three years. Everyone who entered military and everyone who was fighting for such a long time drastically changed.

The cost of this war is heavy, but not so unbearable that either side will sue for peace. It is about more than controlling land. It's about existence. For these Ukrainians, staying independent. Putin is fighting them for Russia's place in the world, and that's why making a peace deal might be impossible. Now, for the Ukrainians and their European partners, the sense that Trump's America Russia isn't just an unreliable ally. It might be no ally at all. Jeremy Bowen, BBC News in Ukraine.

President Trump says he's discussing major economic deals with the Kremlin to help end the war. Steve Rosenberg is live in Moscow for us now. Vladimir Putin has been speaking this evening. Steve, what's he been saying?

Yes, indeed. Vladimir Putin popped up unexpectedly late tonight on Russian state television. They interrupted regular programs for this, and he proceeded to say lots of things that Donald Trump will like. There was lots of flattery. He said President Trump did not act on emotion. He had a rational approach to what was happening. There was lots of praise. He praised Donald Trump's idea for America, Russia, and China to slash defense spending. And there were offers of big money projects, cooperation between Russia and America for example, in the aluminum industry. I think when it comes to dealing with the US President, the criminal leader knows exactly which buttons to press. But what about the war in Ukraine and the prospects for peace? Well, from what the Russian foreign Minister, Serge Lavrov, was saying earlier today, it doesn't sound as if Moscow is in any hurry to sign on to a ceasefire. He said this, We will cease hostilities only when negotiations provide a firm, lasting result that suits the Russian Federation. Until then, Russia fights on, confident, I think, that it can seize more Ukrainian territory.