Macron and Trump have ‘frank conversation’ minutes before European meeting on Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron and his American counterpart Donald Trump spoke on the phone minutes before Macron greeted European dignitaries who had gathered to discuss security in Paris, POLITICO reports.

The French president's office said the "frank conversation" lasted 20 minutes.

A White House official described the conversation as "friendly" and said the two leaders had talked about "the Ukraine War, the upcoming meeting of European nations tomorrow, and the talks in Saudi Arabia between U.S. and Russian officials."

Germany's Olaf Scholz, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Spain's Pedro Sánchez, the United Kingdom's Keir Starmer, Denmark's Mette Frederiksen, Poland's Donald Tusk and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof have all gathered in Paris for what French officials described as an "informal meeting” on Ukraine in light of the upcoming US-Russia talks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Council President António Costa and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte are also in attendance. European powers worry that they are being cut out of a negotiation in which they hold a vital stake, POLITICO reported.