Macron praises Trump for seeking peace between Russia and Ukraine, but warns him to 'be careful' in negotiations

France's president, Emmanuel Macron, sat down with Fox News on prime time to, first, praise President Donald Trump for his pursuit of peace between Russia and Ukraine and, then, to send him a message: "Be careful" in war negotiations.

"We want peace. And I think the initiative of President Trump is a very positive one. But my message was to say be careful because we need something substantial for Ukraine," Macron said in an interview from Blair House, the official residence for guests of the U.S. president.

Macron spoke to Fox News host Bret Baier on the "Special Report" program.

"I think the arrival of President Trump is a game-changer," insisted Macron, who met with President Trump at the White House today. "And I think he has the deterrence capacity of the U.S. to reengage with Russia."

The meeting between Trump and Macron came on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, just days after the French president met with top European leaders in Paris on an emergency basis, after Vice President JD Vance gave a tough speech at the Munich Security Conference that provoked strong criticism from some of Europe's allies.

At the meeting, Macron and Europe's leaders discussed Washington's position on the Russia-Ukraine war, showing concern that the Trump administration has left the 'Old Continent' without a chair at the negotiating table.

Trump himself has boasted about this situation, stating that, if Europe wants a place at the table, it must start paying its fair share by supporting Ukraine more and spending more resources on defense, a long-standing criticism of the U.S. president against European countries.

This tense situation between Europe and Washington prompted the trip of Macron, who visited Trump to leave two messages: the European countries are ready to increase their defense spending and that much more than a simple ceasefire is needed in the war between Ukraine and Russia considering Moscow's previous violations in 2014 and 2015 regarding the Minsk Agreements.

Speaking to Bret Baier, Macron said he sees the possibility of a truce between Russia and Ukraine in the coming weeks.

"[A] truce on air, sea [and] infrastructures," the French president said. "If it is not respected, it will be the best evidence of the fact that Russia is not serious."