The Paris cathedral "Notre Dame" was revealed brilliantly after the restoration. Trump and Zelensky were also invited to the celebration, which President Macron accepted together.
A little after 8.30 p.m. on the seventh of December the bells of "Notre Dame" announced Paris, the doors of the cathedral were opened solemnly. About 2,000 workers participated in the repair work after the great fire of April 2019, to whom President Emmanuel Macron thanked on behalf of the French nation.
1,500 official guests were invited to the grand opening, including heads of state and government from all over the world. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the opening of the cathedral a "historic moment of joy and hope", ARD informs.
Applause for Zelensky
The entry of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into the cathedral was met with applause. An hour earlier, Macron had a meeting with Zelensky and Trump in the Elysee Palace - the first personal contact of the Ukrainian president with Trump after the American elections.
The meeting is an encouraging signal, said General Jerome Pelistrandi, a security expert, quoted by ARD. He emphasized the importance of Trump's consent to the meeting. "Thus, he actually opened a door, but from there on the work must continue - it will be the task of the diplomats and the military." And there is one big unknown - Moscow's attitude.
Trump demanded an "immediate truce" in Ukraine
Initial plans called for Macron to receive Zelensky and Trump one after the other, separately. The meeting of the three is a political success, which, however, does not always make France the epicenter of international diplomacy, notes ARD.
The German public-law media quotes former diplomat Jean de Gliniasti, who does not believe that France could mediate in the Ukrainian conflict. "Now Trump has the floor, and France is the spokesperson for those who want to help Ukraine at any cost. But I think that Macron can eventually influence Trump - so that he gets enough concessions from the Russian side to make peace possible," says the former diplomat.
Meanwhile, in a post on his Truth Social social network, Trump called for an "immediate truce" in Ukraine and called on Moscow and Kyiv to start negotiations.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is seeking a "deal" with Russia to end the war, Trump said after his meeting with Zelensky in Paris.
Pause in the domestic political crisis
Diplomatic success is important for Macron in the context of the internal political crisis in France, emphasizes ARD. After the fall of Michel Barnier's cabinet, Macron now needs a new head of government.
The president has to find out who could get the largest possible majority in parliament as prime minister. And under what conditions would the various political forces agree to accept a new government. The president wants to quickly appoint a new prime minister, but a compromise is not yet in sight. The next talks are coming up on Monday.