PARIS (AP) — As Europe publicly pushes back against the U.S. president Donald Trump about Greenlandbehind the scenes the language seems softer.
Trump published a text message he received from the French president on Tuesday Emmanuel Macronconfirmed as genuine by Macron’s office.Starting with “My friend,” Macron’s tone was more respectful than the criticism that France and some of its European partner countries express openly against Trump’s attempt to wrest Greenland from NATO ally Denmark.
Before addressing the Greenland dispute, Macron chose in his message to first talk about other issues on which he and Trump appear to be roughly on the same page.
“We are fully aligned on Syria. We can do great things against Iran,” the French leader wrote in English.
He then added, “I don’t understand what you are doing in Greenland,” immediately followed by, “Let’s try to build great things.”
That was the only mention Macron made about the semi-autonomous Danish territory that Trump covets in the two parts of the message that Trump published. It was not immediately clear from Trump’s post when he received the message.
Trump breaks with tradition
World leaders’ private messages to each other rarely make it literally into the public domain – allowing them to publicly project one face and another onto each other.
But Trump – as he does in several areas – throws traditions and diplomatic niceties overboard, drawing the curtain back on things that normally go unnoticed.
Trump also published a flattering message from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, which was also confirmed as authentic by the alliance.
“I am determined to find a way forward in Greenland,” Rutte wrote. “I can’t wait to see you. Yours, Mark.”
Rutte has refused to speak publicly about Greenland, despite growing concerns about Trump’s threats to “acquire” the island and what that would mean for the territorial integrity of NATO ally Denmark. Pressed last week about Trump’s plans for Greenland and warnings from Denmark that any US military action could mean the end of NATO, Rutte said: “I can never comment on that. That is impossible in public.”
Macron’s relationship with Trump
Macron likes to say he can get Trump on the phone at any time. He proved that last September make a performance of calling the president from a New York street, to tell Trump that police officers were blocking him from allowing a VIP motorcade to pass.
“Guess what? I’m waiting on the street because everything is frozen for you!” Macron said as cameras filmed the scene.
It is a safe bet that Macron must know by now – a year into Trump’s second term – that there is always a risk that a private message to Trump will be made public.
An official close to Macron said his message to Trump “shows that the French president, both publicly and privately, takes the same positions.”
The official added that France considers respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states “non-negotiable” in Greenland. They spoke anonymously, in accordance with the usual practices of the French presidency.
Yet the difference between Macron’s public and private personas in the message Trump published was striking.
Russia and Ukraine received together
Most notably, French leader Trump said in his message that he would be willing to invite representatives of both Ukraine and Russia to a meeting later this week in Paris – an idea that Macron has not publicly expressed.
The Russians could be accommodated “on the margins,” Macron suggested, hinting at the potential awkwardness of inviting Moscow’s representatives at a time when France is also supporting Ukraine with military and other support against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Macron wrote that the meeting could also include “the Danes, the Syrians” and the G7 countries – including the United States.
The French president added: “Let’s have dinner together in Paris on Thursday before you return to the US.”
He then simply signed off as “Emmanuel.”
Lorne Cook in Brussels and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.
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