European leaders, including those from Germany, France and the United Kingdom, will join Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on their meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday (18).
Trump has been pressing for Zelensky to accept an agreement with Russia, giving Ukrainian territories in exchange for a ceasefire. The German chancellor, the French president and the British Prime Minister met today with allies to reinforce support for Ukraine and offer security guarantees.
Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany; Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General; and Ursula von der Leyen, chairman of the European Commission, will be present at the White House meeting.
The movement seems to be an effort to prevent the repetition of the tense meeting that Zelensky had with Trump at the Oval Hall in February.
The presence of European leaders alongside Zelensky, demonstrating the continent’s support to Ukraine, can help alleviate concerns in Kiev and other European capitals that the Ukrainian President can be pressured to accept a peace agreement in terms of Trump.
Von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s executive arm, published in X that “at the request of President Zelensky, I will attend the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders at the White House tomorrow.”
The joint trip highlights the determination of European leaders in ensuring that Europe has an active voice in Trump’s attempt to promote peace, especially after Friday’s summit between the US President and Russian leader Vladimir Putin-of which Zelensky was not invited to participate.
