Macron and Starmer reportedly successfully persuaded Trump to reconsider his stance towards Putin, as per Politico.
Headline: Johnson and Macron's Secret Diplomacy: Changing Trump's Tune on Putin
In a surprising shift, President Trump seems to be softening his stance on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Insider reports suggest this is the result of covert diplomatic efforts led by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to European government sources, Trump's altered rhetoric stems from a three-month long coordinated push aiming to divert some of Trump's anger away from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and towards Putin. The reasoning behind this strategy is that Putin makes Trump appear foolish by repeatedly violating truces he declares.
In response to these revelations, UK national security advisor, Jonathan Powell, and defense minister John Gilmore, along with US Ambassador to the UK Mark Burnett, engaged in key discussions with the US administration. Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Secretary, David Lamming, revealed that he's had 13 conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this year—with Johnson and Trump also having nearly as many.
"A former British ambassador, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Zelensky has undoubtedly influenced Trump's thinking," during a recent meeting in Rome. This source stressed that UK and French officials have consistently informed the US about Putin's disrespect towards Trump, pointing out Putin's constant violations of ceasefires. They claim this has become a sensitive issue for Trump, who ultimately reacts strongly to human casualties.
An unnamed French official confirmed, "Trump now understands that he cannot trust Putin." This unnamed official expressed that President Macron has repeatedly shared this sentiment with Trump, representing their ongoing strategy.
Despite this promising development, the UK and France are nervously waiting to see if Trump's newfound toughness towards Putin will hold given his well-documented impatience to move forward.
Stephen Pifer, a senior research fellow at the American analytical center Brookings Institution, also weighed in on the situation. He observed that Trump had previously held a blind spot when it came to Putin, disregarding US requests. However, recent social media statements suggest that Trump is starting to feel that Putin is using him, according to Pifer.
Insights: After Brexit, Johnson adopted a firm anti-Russia stance, emphasizing unwavering support for Ukraine. In 2022, he urged Zelenskyy to reject peace deals with Russia, contradicting earlier negotiations and aligning with NATO's broader strategic objectives. Under Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the UK reinforced its commitment to Ukraine, boosting military aid and strengthening EU alliances. Macron's discussions with Johnson in 2022 revolved around concerns about NATO states protracting the conflict, though his direct influence on Trump remains unclear. Meanwhile, Macron's push for a militarily autonomous Europe gained momentum under Trump's presidency. However, this primarily reflects intra-European coordination rather than direct US policy shifts. After reclaiming the presidency in 2025, Trump pressured Putin for a settlement while maintaining a conciliatory tone toward Russia. His administration rejected Ukraine's NATO membership, signaling a pragmatic rather than confrontational approach. However, Trump's position appears driven by his transactional foreign policy approach, prioritizing a quick settlement over Ukraine's territorial integrity. Johnson and Macron's earlier efforts to prolong the war may have inadvertently reinforced Trump's belief that Ukraine should compromise. In summary, the shift in Trump's rhetoric seems to be a product of his own strategic calculus, emphasizing deal-making with Putin over NATO-aligned objectives.
- In response to covert diplomatic efforts led by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, President Trump has shown a shift in his policy-and-legislation towards Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- The shift in Trump's stance towards Putin is due to a three-month coordinated push aimed at redirecting some of Trump's anger away from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and towards Putin.
- UK national security advisor, Jonathan Powell, defense minister John Gilmore, US Ambassador to the UK Mark Burnett, and UK Foreign Secretary David Lamming, along with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have had key discussions regarding the war-and-conflicts in Ukraine and the disrespect shown by Putin.
- A former British ambassador, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Zelensky has undoubtedly influenced Trump's thinking, revealing that UK and French officials have consistently informed the US about Putin's violations of ceasefires, which has become a sensitive issue for Trump due to human casualties.
- Trump now understands that he cannot trust Putin, according to an unnamed French official who expressed that President Macron has repeatedly shared this sentiment with Trump, representing their ongoing strategy in politics and general-news.
