PARIS (AP) — Donald Trump began his first international trip as president-elect of the United States, and on Saturday he will participate alongside world leaders and heads of state in the celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after a devastating fire in 2019.
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When he accepted the invitation earlier this week, Trump wrote that the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, had done "a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full glory, and even more. It will be a very special day for everyone!"
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Macron, who has had a fluctuating relationship with Trump, has made an effort to cultivate a relationship with the president-elect since he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris at the polls last month. However, his office downplayed the invitation by pointing out that other politicians who currently do not hold any office had also been invited.
Trump was invited as the president-elect of a "friendly nation," said Macron's office, adding that "this is by no means exceptional, we have done it before."
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, was also invited but will not attend. The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, cited scheduling conflicts and indicated that the First Lady, Jill Biden, will represent the country in his place.
Trump and the first lady were last seen together shortly after the election, when he visited the White House for the traditional meeting between the outgoing and incoming president.
Your visit to France occurs while Macron and other European leaders are trying to win the favor of the Republican and convince him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion that began three years ago.
Before the event at Notre Dame, Macron will meet with Trump and then with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to his office.
It is not clear if Trump will also meet with Zelenskyy. Trump has promised to end the war in Ukraine quickly but has not indicated how, which has caused concern in Kiev about the terms that could be established for future negotiations.
In an effort to foster trust with the new US administration, Zelenskyy's top advisor, Andriy Yermak, met with key members of Trump's team on a two-day trip earlier this week. A senior Ukrainian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make statements, described the meetings as productive but refused to offer further details.
During Trump's first term, the relations between Paris and Washington started off warm but became increasingly tense over time.
Macron was the guest of honor at Trump’s first State Dinner, who traveled to France several times. But the relationship deteriorated when the French leader criticized Trump for questioning the need for NATO and raising doubts about the United States’ commitment to the mutual defense pact.