US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Donald Trump's special representative for the conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, Steve Witkoff, will arrive in Paris this week, two sources familiar with the delegation's plans said. writes Politico.
Witkoff is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, while Rubio plans to hold talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, confirmed that Rubio would indeed be in Paris this week, after which he would travel to Africa.
One of the representatives familiar with the preparations for the visit said that the focus of the talks will be Ukraine, Iran and trade policy - particularly in light of Trump's recent statements regarding the possible introduction of new tariffs.
Witkoff's meeting with Macron comes shortly after the US envoy's visit to Moscow, where he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting was aimed at discussing a potential ceasefire in Ukraine after US-Russian talks on the issue ran into serious difficulties.
As the White House press secretary noted, the visit to Moscow is “another step in the ceasefire negotiation process,” even despite Trump’s “disappointment.”
The French president, for his part, is playing a key role in promoting the idea of providing security guarantees to Ukraine. This includes the possible deployment of a foreign contingent of troops in the country if a ceasefire is reached.
The issue of tariffs promises to be a key one in the talks. Last week, President Macron said that Trump's decision to suspend his toughest tariffs for 90 days was only a "fragile" pause in tensions.
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