Trudeau, Trump discuss Ukraine war and Fentanyl trade; Macron and Starmer set to meet US President
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on Saturday, focusing on the Ukraine war and combating the illegal fentanyl trade, as confirmed by Trudeau’s office. The discussion comes as leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations prepare for a call on Monday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine with NATO’s Secretary-General, EU officials, and the leaders of Romania and Poland.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are set to travel to Washington next week. Both leaders are concerned about Trump’s hardening stance toward Ukraine and his recent overtures to Moscow. They aim to convince Trump not to rush a ceasefire deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to ensure Europe’s continued involvement in the conflict.
Ahead of his visit, Macron stated he would tell Trump that the U.S. cannot appear weak in the face of Putin. The visits occur against the backdrop of rising tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump recently called a “dictator,” alarming Ukraine’s European allies.
Starmer, also critical of a potential ceasefire, will meet with U.S. officials later this week. Trump, however, dismissed European efforts on the war, saying Macron and Starmer had “done nothing” to end the conflict.
-With inputs from Reuters
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