French President Emmanuel Macron gathered leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a lunch meeting at the Elysee Palace on Sunday (November 11).
The lunch followed a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, where Macron said ‘Nationalism is a betrayal of Patriotism’.
The U.S. leader has said he will also not hold a bilateral meeting with Putin in Paris. Trump and Putin are expected to have formal talks later this month when both attend a G20 summit in Buenos Aires.
Trump refused to answer questions about Putin when he arrived at the Elysee Palace. Putin said they chatted briefly.
Should the two leaders meet during Sunday’s events, their body language will be closely scrutinised.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is probing alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and any possible collusion with Trump’s Campaign.
