President Donald Trump is scheduled Monday afternoon to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, where six months ago the two leaders engaged in a televised shouting match that threw into doubt how long the U.S. would continue its support for Ukraine against a Russia invasion.
Zelensky is returning backed by an extraordinary delegation of European leaders determined to present a united front against Russia to Trump, days after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended without any concrete steps toward a peace agreement.
Zelensky is set to be joined by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Mark Rutte, Secretary-General of NATO, is also attending.
Just after noon, European leaders including Macron, Starmer, von der Leyen, Rutte, and Meloni began arriving one by one at the White House. According to the White House schedule, Trump will first meet with Zelensky at 1:15 p.m. before greeting the European leaders, followed by a multilateral meeting with all parties at 3:00 p.m.
Zelensky and the other world leaders will face the challenging task of trying to retain Trump’s support for his country’s defense against Russia as Trump has made public statements in line with Putin’s positions for a peace agreement, including asserting that Zelensky must accept territorial concessions and that Ukraine must end efforts to join NATO.
In a Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump asserted that Zelensky could end the war “almost immediately” by agreeing to these terms, framing Ukraine as having the primary responsibility to resolve the conflict initiated by Russia’s 2022 invasion. This stance, coupled with Trump’s rejection of Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations, has raised concerns among Ukrainian officials and European allies about diminishing U.S. support for Kyiv’s sovereignty.
Zelensky has repeatedly rejected ceding territory to Russia over the course of the war, emphasizing that it must end the war on terms that safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Ahead of the meeting, Macron said that “if we show weakness today in front of Russia, we are laying the ground for future conflicts,” highlighting broader concerns that any forced compromise could embolden Moscow and threaten European security in the years ahead.
The high-stakes discussions will largely focus on securing robust security guarantees for Ukraine, exploring potential pathways to a sustainable peace, and countering Russia’s ongoing aggression while navigating Trump’s push for a rapid resolution that aligns with his deal-making approach.
Russian attacks on Ukraine have continued amid the ongoing diplomatic talks. Just hours before Zelensky’s meeting with Trump, Russian strikes on the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia killed at least 10 people, including a child, and injured dozens of others, according to Ukrainian authorities. Zelensky has called the timing of the strikes an attempt by Putin to put pressure on Ukraine to accept its terms.
Zelensky is expected to press for a NATO-style security framework, potentially involving multinational peacekeeping forces, to deter future Russian incursions without relying solely on U.S. support, which has become increasingly uncertain under Trump’s leadership.
The outcome of the meeting could reshape the trajectory of the war and U.S.-European relations. A failure to secure firm commitments from Trump risks leaving Ukraine vulnerable and could strain the transatlantic alliance, while a successful push for security guarantees and continued support might strengthen Ukraine’s position against Russia.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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