Sitting beside the French president, Mr Trump pointedly declined to call Vladimir Putin a dictator, saying “I don’t use those words lightly.” Mr Macron seemed cautiously upbeat about his visit to the White House.

President Trump is meeting Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron as the Russia-Ukraine war takes center stage three years after Russia's invasion.

Merz expressed concern over changing relations with Washington under the Trump administration, emphasizing the need for gradual independence from the U.S.

Friedrich Merz's conservatives triumphed in Germany's elections, obtaining over 28% of the vote, as the far-right AfD gained over 20%. Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD suffered a historic defeat with just 16%,

Friedrich Merz, who is set to become the new German chancellor, has vowed to prioritise European unity and the continent’s security as it grapples with the new Trump administration and Russia’s war on Ukraine.