France, Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump in Paris, opening of Notre Dame

Zelensky arrived at the Élysée Palace at a time when Macron was meeting with the US president-elect for a long time. Macron did not come out to greet him, but a short time later the three leaders came out together for a photo; President Macron stood in the center, with his guests on both sides.

The talks ended shortly after 18. The three politicians stepped out together again, leaving the Elysée Palace to go to Notre Dame.

The unprecedented three-way meeting was a surprise. Talks between Macron-Trump and Macron-Zełenski were first announced.

American President-elect Donald Trump spoke about the “excellent relations” between them during his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. – It's an honor to be here – added Trump, who will attend the opening of the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral.

– We achieved great successes by working together – said Trump, who worked with Macron during both politicians' previous, first terms. – It seems that the world has gone a bit crazy now, we will talk about it – added the president-elect.

Trump and Zelensky arrived in Paris on Saturday to attend the opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was renovated after the fire. Zelensky's plane landed in Paris on Saturday noon. It was known that the Ukrainian leader was to meet with Emmanuel Macron in the Élysée Palace in the late afternoon, but the French side had not previously mentioned the possibility of a trilateral meeting or talks between Trump and Zelensky.

On Friday, AFP reported the statement of a senior Ukrainian official who said that a meeting between Zelensky and Trump was “possible.” The interlocutor, whose name was not provided to AFP, added that bilateral talks between Zelensky and some other leaders visiting Paris are also possible.

The head of Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak, visited the US on November 5, where he met with Trump's associates. A high-ranking representative of Ukraine, who asked to remain anonymous, told the AP agency that these meetings were fruitful.

The AFP agency reported earlier on Saturday that the plane carrying the US president-elect landed at Paris' Orly airport around 7 a.m. Another source said that Donald Trump was traveling by private plane. The president-elect went to the United States embassy, ​​AFP reported.

Trump's visit to Paris is his symbolic return to the international arena, said the Associated Press. She also expressed the assumption that for Macron this visit would be an opportunity to act as a mediator between the American leader and Europe.

The two leaders have known each other since they served their first presidential terms. This makes Macron one of the few current European leaders who has a personal relationship with Trump. When the fire broke out at Notre Dame in 2019, Trump was president of the United States.

The first day of ceremonies related to the opening of Notre Dame Cathedral begins on Saturday, and will be attended by world leaders, representatives of international organizations and churches. Poland is represented by President Andrzej Duda. Jill Biden, the wife of outgoing President Joe Biden, will arrive from the United States – apart from Trump. Britain's Prince William will be in attendance, as well as the monarchs of Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco and Norway.

Presidents Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sergio Mattarella will arrive from Germany and Italy. Bulgaria, Croatia and Greece will also be represented by heads of state – Rumen Radev, Zoran Milanović and Ekaterini Sakielaropulu, respectively. They will be joined by the presidents of Estonia – Alar Karis, Finland – Alexander Stubb and Lithuania – Gitanas Nauseda, and the Chancellor of Austria Karl Nehammer. The presidents of Georgia and Kosovo, Salome Zurabishvili and Vjosa Osmani, are expected. The prime ministers of Armenia – Nikol Pashinyan and Serbia – Milosz Vuczevic will be present.

The plans include a speech by French President Emmanuel Macron. On Sunday, the first mass after the fire will be held in the cathedral.

More than two thousand specialists, craftsmen and workers worked so that Notre Dame could regain its former glory. The work cost approximately seven hundred million euros, and donations came from all over the world.

Only invited people will be able to enter the square in front of Notre Dame – a maximum of three thousand.

The embankments of the Seine near the temple can accommodate about 40,000 people. Special security measures will be in place throughout Cite Island and the waterfront, including restrictions on car traffic and trade throughout the weekend. Some metro stations will be closed.

SEE PHOTOS: Notre Dame five years ago and now