European leaders have announced they will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. This follows Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Trump stated his preference for a permanent peace agreement over a ceasefire in Ukraine. Leaders traveling to Washington include British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Trump had prioritized securing a ceasefire with Ukraine before meeting Putin, but later communicated on social media that ceasefires “often times do not hold up,” suggesting a direct approach to a peace agreement instead. European leaders responded cautiously to the Trump-Putin meeting outcome, avoiding criticism despite their support for a ceasefire. Reports indicate Putin offered a peace proposal requiring Ukraine to retreat from the Donetsk region, in exchange for Russia freezing front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russia claims ownership of most of Luhansk, 70% of Donetsk, and has annexed Crimea since 2014.
Zelensky has ruled out relinquishing control of the Donbas, citing potential security risks. On Sunday, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that Putin agreed in Alaska that the US would provide Ukraine with substantial security guarantees. Witkoff asserted that the talks nearly reached an agreement where the US and other European countries could extend protections similar to NATO’s Article 5, considering an attack on one as an attack on all. Putin opposes Ukraine’s NATO membership, and Witkoff suggested an alternative arrangement could be feasible if Ukrainians find it acceptable. Witkoff also mentioned Russia’s territorial concessions. He noted that discussions regarding Donetsk are crucial and expected to proceed on Monday.
Diplomatic sources revealed European officials’ concerns over Trump potentially pressuring Zelensky to accept terms discussed in Alaska. Von der Leyen and Zelensky met in Brussels on Sunday, advocating for any peace agreement to encompass security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe, maintaining that decisions rest solely with Ukraine. Zelensky emphasized constitutional constraints against ceding territory to Russia, proposing the topic be addressed in a trilateral summit with Russia. He reiterated the importance of establishing a ceasefire before pursuing a final agreement.
Monday’s White House meeting is Zelensky’s first since a contentious February Oval Office exchange with Trump, where he was admonished to express more gratitude for US support and accused of risking World War Three. The encounter ended with Zelensky’s ejection from the White House. However, the two appeared to reconcile in April during a brief productive meeting before attending Pope Francis’s funeral. Ukraine has entered a minerals deal securing US financial interests and arranged to pay for US arms. Concerns persist in Kyiv and European capitals following the Trump-Putin meeting on Friday, where the Russian president, who faces an International Criminal Court war crimes arrest warrant, was warmly received by Trump, who praised their “fantastic relationship.”