European leaders rushed to speak to Donald Trump on Wednesday evening, as the U.S. president-elect basked in his stunning election victory and the world grappled with potentially seismic ramifications of his second term in office.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Trump discussed the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East in a call on Wednesday, the French presidency said.
According to an Elysée adviser, Macron congratulated Trump on his victory and insisted on the importance of “working with and for Europe to face common challenges.” The Republican figurehead has threatened to stop military aid to Kyiv and said he would seek to negotiate an end to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The French and U.S. leaders agreed to stay in “close contact,” according to the French readout of the call.
The two leaders spoke for 25 minutes in what a French official described as “a warm conversation” and “a very good exchange,” a warmth based on the “proximity” of their relationship during Trump’s first term.
The French president has been seeking to position himself as leading the European response to the potentially seismic changes Trump will usher in as he returns to the White House. Macron was one of the first leaders to congratulate the Republican contender, in a message that had been coordinated with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
French officials have been arguing for weeks that a second term for Trump should serve as a wake-up call and force the European Union to embrace the sovereignty agenda pushed by the French president.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also sought to rekindle a historically fractious relationship with the U.S. president-elect in a chat Wednesday.
“I had an excellent call with President @realDonaldTrump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory — his tremendous campaign made this result possible,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, adding that he and Trump agreed to “maintain close dialogue” and “advance our cooperation.”
“Strong and unwavering U.S. leadership is vital for the world and for a just peace,” he wrote.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also said she spoke to Trump on Wednesday, writing on X that she called to congratulate the U.S. president-elect on his win and discuss opportunities to deepen the “historic friendship” between Rome and Washington.
“During the phone call we expressed our willingness to work in close coordination on all major international dossiers, with the common goal of promoting stability and security, also in the framework of relations with the European Union,” Meloni wrote, also adding that she and Trump plan to “remain in close contact.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also followed suit, offering his “hearty congratulations” to Trump on a call Wednesday and saying he looks forward to “working closely” with the incoming U.S. president.
“From defence and security to growth and prosperity, the relationship between the UK and US was incredibly strong and would continue to thrive for many years to come,” Trump and Starmer agreed on the call, according to a press release from Starmer’s office.
Starmer also emphasized the importance of stability in the Middle East amid escalating regional tensions.
Hungary’s right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán — whom Trump has repeatedly praised, though occasionally with some confusion — had the last word from Europe after their call Wednesday night, noting: “We’ve got some big plans!”
This story has been updated.