The last time President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine met with President Trump at the White House, it did not go well.
In a remarkable blowup on Feb. 28, during what was to be a visit to coordinate a plan for peace, Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Mr. Zelensky as the cameras rolled.
This time, Mr. Zelensky is bringing reinforcements: At least seven European heads of state will join him in a show of unity against Russia. The group has helped coach Mr. Zelensky on how to better engage with Mr. Trump and met with the Ukrainian leader on Sunday to prepare.
Mr. Zelensky’s last meeting with Mr. Trump, intended to talk about a way out of the war and finalize a deal in which Ukraine would give the United States a share of its mineral revenue, was dramatically cut short after Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance took turns yelling at Mr. Zelensky. They accused him of being ungrateful for U.S. support and told him he was in no position to set terms of a peace deal.
Mr. Trump told Mr. Zelensky, “You don’t have the cards right now.”
“I’m not playing cards,” Mr. Zelensky replied. “I’m very serious, Mr. President. I’m the president in a war.”
“You’re gambling with World War III,” Mr. Trump retorted.
Mr. Vance jumped in and asked, “Have you said ‘thank you’ once this entire meeting? No.”
“A lot of times,” Mr. Zelensky responded. “Even today.”
Mr. Zelensky ended up leaving the White House early and Mr. Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine a few days later. (President Trump later agreed to resume U.S. military assistance and the mineral deal was eventually signed.)
Monday’s meeting comes on the heels of Mr. Trump’s summit on Friday with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, the first face-to-face meeting between the American and Russian leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. Mr. Zelensky was not invited.
While the meeting ended inconclusively, Mr. Trump on Saturday backed Mr. Putin’s plan for a direct peace agreement that would most likely have Ukraine cede territory to Russia.
On Monday, Mr. Zelensky will meet first with Mr. Trump. Then they will be joined by the larger group for a working lunch and meeting.
The group’s goals, according to President Emmanuel Macron of France, are to show a united front between Europeans and Ukrainians and to defend the interests of Europeans.
Mr. Macron and Mr. Zelensky will be joined by Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz; Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain; Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister; NATO’s secretary general, Mark Rutte; and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm.
Talya Minsberg is a Times reporter covering breaking and developing news.
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