Zelenskiy, European Leaders Meet Trump In Washington Over Ukraine Peace Deal

Washington, D.C. – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and top European leaders are set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday in Washington to discuss a possible roadmap for peace in Ukraine. The talks come amid growing concerns that Trump could pressure Kyiv into accepting a settlement tilted in favor of Moscow.

The leaders of Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the European Union, and NATO are joining the effort to bolster Zelenskiy at a pivotal diplomatic moment. Their aim is to prevent a repeat of February’s tense Oval Office meeting between Trump and the Ukrainian leader.

Meeting Schedule

According to the White House, Trump will first meet Zelenskiy in the Oval Office at 1:15 p.m. EDT (1715 GMT). A larger session with European leaders is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) in the East Room.

The meeting follows Trump’s red-carpet welcome for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday, where Trump declared that “an agreement should be struck” to end the 42-month-long war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump remarked:

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.”

Ukraine Rejects Putin’s Proposals

Zelenskiy has already dismissed key elements of Putin’s proposed deal, which included Ukraine giving up the remainder of the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces currently hold about a quarter of the territory.

“We need real negotiations, which means we can start where the front line is now,” Zelenskiy said in Brussels on Sunday. He stressed that Ukraine’s constitution makes it impossible to surrender territory.

While Kyiv continues to push for security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression, Trump’s shifting stance has raised alarm. Once supportive of Ukraine’s call for an immediate ceasefire, Trump now appears to favor Moscow’s approach of negotiating a broad settlement while the war continues.

European Allies Step In

In a show of unity, European leaders held a call with Zelenskiy on Sunday to coordinate strategy ahead of the White House talks. Their presence in Washington is seen as crucial to strengthening Ukraine’s hand.

“It’s important for the Europeans to be there: (Trump) respects them, he behaves differently in their presence,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian lawmaker from Zelenskiy’s ruling party.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed concerns that Europe’s leaders were traveling to Washington to shield Zelenskiy.

“They’re not coming here tomorrow to keep Zelenskiy from being bullied. They’re coming here because we’ve been working with the Europeans,” Rubio told CBS.

Strained U.S.-Ukraine Relations

Since Trump took office in January, relations between Washington and Kyiv have been strained, despite Ukraine’s heavy reliance on U.S. weapons and intelligence. This dependency has forced Zelenskiy to tread carefully, even when Trump’s statements clash with Ukraine’s goals.

On the ground, Russia continues its slow but grinding advance, leveraging superior manpower and firepower. Putin has signaled his readiness to fight until all his objectives are achieved.

Yet Ukraine hopes that new battlefield technologies, combined with European financial and military support, will help it hold out — even if ties with Washington weaken further.

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