French President Emmanuel Macron gestures during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (not seen) as part of a Franco-German cabinet meeting and a meeting of the Franco-German Defence and Security Council (CFADS) in Toulon, France, August 29, 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/Pool Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

PARIS, Aug 29 (Reuters) – If Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t commit by Monday to meet Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, he would have duped U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

“If that doesn’t happen by Monday, the deadline set by President Trump, it means that once again President Putin played President Trump,” Macron said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday.

Trump has threatened “consequences” if the Russian and Ukrainian leaders don’t meet.

Zelenskiy also recalled on Friday a statement by Trump that he would give Putin a week or two to agree on a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader before potentially announcing new action against Russia.

“Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody,” Zelenskiy said.

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