French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday grabbed President Donald Trump's arm as he fact-checked him on how Europe and the United States have spent on aid for Ukraine while they met in the Oval Office.
"Just so you understand, Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine," Trump misstated about European funding efforts during the Ukraine war against Russia. "They’re getting their money back."
Macron then grabbed Trump's arm to interrupt him and correct the U.S. president's false statement:
"No, in fact, to be frank, we paid," Macron interjected. "We paid 60% of the total effort."
Trump appeared to shrug off and dismiss Macron's correction.
Macron and Trump met in the Oval Office amid the possibility that the U.S. may not be a strong partner against Russia. The visit came on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Earlier that day, the Trump administration voted against condemning Russia for the Ukraine invasion, joining North Korea and Iran in the United Nations vote.
“If you believe that, it’s ok with me," Trump later said about Macron's explanation on European support for Ukraine. "They get their money back, and we don’t. But now we do.”
