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#Trump once again makes false claims about #US & European #aid to #Ukraine, saying that America has spent $350B while #Europe has spent $100M. In fact, acc/to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Europe has allocated $138B compared with $119B from the United States.

Trump’s false claims on the sum the US has spent are the predicate for his demand that Ukraine pay upwards of $500B to the US under a still-being-negotiated #minerals agreement.

President Emmanuel #Macron, in reaching back to the help #France gave the #UnitedStates in the Revolutionary War — even name-checking Lafayette — is trying to place US-French unity in a historic context, as a moment he knows the #alliance is under a greater threat than any time in decades.

Macron adds a line about “our support for President #Zelensky,” whom #Trump called a dictator a few days ago.

#Macron, practicing the #flattery that allied leaders often try to employ w/Trump, commends #Trump for working with #Ukraine’s president, #Zelensky, on the rare #minerals agreement.

“No one in this world wants to live in a world where it’s the #law of the strongest & international borders can be violated from one day to the next,‘” Macron said. This is a line Trump would never say — he talks of making a deal, but does not accuse #Russia of taking Ukrainian land.

#Macron cites two broken #ceasefire deals after the original 2014 #Russia invasion that were negotiated in Minsk, Belarus, even as #Trump earlier said he thought there would be no problems if they reach a deal.

“This peace must not mean a surrender of #Ukraine” & must come with guarantees of Ukraine’s #security, Macron emphasizes. Trump did not speak of #security guarantees as a goal.

#Macron is careful to say “Europeans need to do more for #security in #Europe” & relieve the security burden the #UnitedStates has shouldered for decades. Macron continues to flatter #Trump & makes sure to pay lip-service to Trump’s stated goals like this one.

#Trump praises Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman [#MBS] of #SaudiArabia as “tremendously respected all over the world,” without mentioning that the #CIA during Trump’s first term said the prince was responsible for the grisly murder & dismemberment of #JamalKhashoggi a Saudi #journalist for The Washington Post.

#Biden never had discussions with #Putin after the 2022 invasion because he was following a policy of “nothing about #Ukraine without Ukraine.”

#Trump has obviously discarded that approach & made clear he is willing to make a deal even without Ukraine.

#Macron says that his experience with #Putin is that it helps to talk, but he said he stopped “after #Bucha & the #WarCrimes,” the killing of civilians in the #Ukraine town. It is an interesting reference, because #Trump has said nothing about pursuing war crime investigations.

#Macron keeps returning to the 2014 & 2015 #ceasefire agreements, known as the #MinskAccords, that were forged after Russian-backed separatists attacked & grabbed #territory in eastern #Ukraine but that failed to prevent #Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He seems intent on convincing #Trump that a hasty cease-fire will not end the underlying conflict.

With almost every answer, #Macron has returned to #security guarantees for #Ukraine, to ensure that #Russia cannot restart its #war. Trump has not uttered the phrase in this news conference.

This meeting is taking place on the same day that the #UnitedStates broke from #France & other European #allies to oppose a #UnitedNations resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In voting against it, the United States joined Russia, #Belarus & #NorthKorea.

#Macron calls the European forces that would go into #Ukraine as an “assurance force.” But their exact role is unclear: Are they a force large enough to deter a #Russia attack? Or a smaller “tripwire” force — which might work, if it is clear what happens if the Russians trip that wire.

“Americans will be there in solidarity,” Macron said. It’s not clear what that means — would they provide #intelligence, would they be a back-up force?

It’s also reported that during questioning in the Oval Office following the #Trump & #Macron meeting, a reporter asked Trump if #Putin was a #dictator.

Trump refused to answer saying, “I don’t use those words lightly.”

Last week he called #Zelensky a dictator multiple times and in writing.

Michael McFaul, Fmr US Ambassador to #Russia & Simon Shuster, Reporter for Time Magazine join Nicolle Wallace on DeadlineWhiteHouse w/reaction to the meeting between French President Emmanuel #Macron & Donald #Trump at the White House, w/ #France’s President #FactChecking the American President for his #lies over how the war in #Ukraine is funded, & the work the French President is doing to try to keep America on the right side of history & not back a dictator in #Putin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT9ZlcGqd50