Macron persuaded Trump to meet with Zelensky in Paris, and to facilitate this meeting, he did not invite Scholz.

French President Emmanuel Macron spent several days persuading newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the leaders' visit for the opening of the renovated Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Source. This is reported by Axios.

One source indicated that initially, Trump was reluctant to hold the meeting but eventually agreed.

Another source familiar with the meeting stated that it lasted 45 minutes and was described as "good and productive."

The source also mentioned that the final decision to hold the trilateral meeting was made just moments before it took place.

According to the publication, the meeting lasted about 45 minutes. Zelensky described the talks as productive and thanked Trump for his decisive attitude.

BILD reports that Macron likely did not invite German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the Notre-Dame opening in order to facilitate this meeting.

Approximately 50 heads of state were present at the ceremonial opening of Notre-Dame, all personally invited by the French president.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not receive an invitation, and instead, Germany was represented by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The opening of Notre-Dame was seen as a representative event suitable for a head of state rather than a head of government. Moreover, Olaf Scholz is not a practicing Christian.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also did not attend; instead, the heir to the British throne, Prince William, was invited.

The publication notes that the absence of Scholz and Starmer helped avoid diplomatic difficulties in organizing Macron's meeting with Zelensky and Trump.

If the German Chancellor or the British Prime Minister had been present at the church and the dinner but were not invited to the important meeting at the Élysée Palace, it would have been a politically awkward moment.

However, since Steinmeier holds a representative position, his absence from the negotiations with Trump and Zelensky raised no questions.

Background. Recall that Zelensky commented on the meeting with Trump, calling it "productive" and thanked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for organizing it. He stated that they discussed "our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a fair peace for Ukraine."