PARIS — World leaders gathered in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe on Sunday to mark the 100th anniversary of the World War I armistice with a ceremony that commemorated the terrible violence that can arise when national interests override diplomacy.
A canopy of clouds and rain loomed over the French capital as leaders converged. Bells tolled across Paris at “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” — the moment the armistice took effect in 1918, ceasing hostilities between Germany and allied powers.
Read: In jab at Trump, Macron denounces nationalism as ‘betrayal of patriotism’
The somber gathering took place against a backdrop of rising nationalism and authoritarianism around the world. Many of the heads of state in attendance — from U.S. President Donald Trump to President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey — have advanced nationalist agendas that are testing the foundations of international cooperation.
In an address to the leaders, Macron recalled the millions who died in World War I and defended multilateral institutions like the United Nations and the European Union that have been a target of criticism from Trump.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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