European leaders said Sunday that they will join President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Monday when he meets with President Trump at the White House, as they strive to present a united front against Russia and avoid being sidelined in talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain, were among the leaders who announced that they will join Mr. Zelensky in Washington. Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, will also join, as will NATO’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm.
Monday’s meeting at the White House comes after talks in Alaska between Mr. Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ended inconclusively, and amid concerns in Europe that Mr. Trump’s thinking may have tilted toward Russia’s position.
On Saturday, after his meeting with Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump sided with Mr. Putin in calling for a direct peace agreement without securing a cease-fire in Ukraine first. Mr. Trump claimed that Mr. Zelensky and European leaders had agreed on the point. But his statement was a shift from the “principles” agreed upon earlier in the week by Mr. Trump, Mr. Zelensky and his European allies, which called for refusing to discuss peace terms until a cease-fire was in place.
Russia has long pushed for a direct peace deal that would address a broad range of issues and impose onerous demands on Ukraine, including territorial concessions. Avoiding a cease-fire would allow Russia to continue pressing its advantage on the battlefield in the meantime.
Mr. Zelensky and European leaders spoke by phone with Mr. Trump after the Alaska meeting. Mr. Zelensky said the call had been “long and substantive” and covered “the main points” of the American leader’s talks with Mr. Putin. Mr. Zelensky said he planned “to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war” when he visits Mr. Trump on Monday.
Mr. Zelensky was in Brussels on Sunday to meet with Ms. von der Leyen, and European leaders were to have their own virtual call later in the day as well to discuss the war.
It will be Mr. Zelensky’s first trip to the White House since he was berated by Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office in March, in a fiery exchange in which the American leader accused Mr. Zelensky of not being grateful enough for U.S. support in Ukraine’s war with Russia, and sought to strong-arm him into making a peace deal on whatever terms the Americans dictated.
Enjoli Liston is a Times editor based in London who works on live coverage of major breaking news.
Constant Méheut reports on the war in Ukraine, including battlefield developments, attacks on civilian centers and how the war is affecting its people.
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