Macron said in a social media Q&A that he would warn Trump against appearing weak to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It comes after the US held direct talks with Russia for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

He is also due to present European proposals to achieve peace in Ukraine after the US president accused him of having "done nothing" on the matter. The meeting takes place on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Other European leaders have been in Kyiv in a show of support. On Thursday, Macron told a social media audience that Trump also needed to think about how his interactions with Putin would appear to other world leaders. "It's not you, it's not your trademark, it's not in your interest. How can you then be credible in the face of China if you're weak in the face of Putin?" Macron said.

He added that he would seek to persuade Trump that the interests of the US and Europe were aligned, and that "if you let Russia take over Ukraine, it would be unstoppable". That means any peace deal must be negotiated with Ukrainians and Europeans around the table, Macron said. Such an appeal to the US president's ego is a conscious choice from Macron, who knows Trump from the latter's first term in power, Sebastien Maillard from the Chatham House think tank says.