Zelenskyy to Bring High-Profile EU Leaders to White House Today, but Peace Talks Expected to Be Much Harder Than Trump-Putin

Ukraine’s future could hinge on a high-stakes meeting at the White House on Monday, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sit down with U.S. President Donald Trump alongside key leaders of the EU and NATO. The gathering follows Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which concluded without a ceasefire but opened the door to possible negotiations over security guarantees and territorial disputes.

Zelenskyy is joined in Washington by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Their collective presence underscores Europe’s determination to present a united front in support of Ukraine and to avoid a repeat of Zelenskyy’s bruising February Oval Office encounter, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly berated him for not showing enough gratitude for U.S. military support. That confrontation left relations badly frayed, prompting months of quiet efforts by European and Ukrainian officials to repair ties.

In April, Zelenskyy and Trump spoke privately at the Vatican, and Ukraine struck a minerals deal giving the U.S. a financial stake in its economy. Zelenskyy also signaled his willingness to pay for American weapons, while Trump, increasingly exasperated with Russia’s war effort, threatened sanctions on Moscow and called Putin “absolutely crazy.” By July, Zelenskyy described a call with Trump as their “best conversation yet.”

Still, the path ahead is fraught. At the Alaska summit, Trump declared that peace talks did not require a ceasefire, a position that aligns with Putin’s preference. Trump told Zelenskyy that Putin had offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk, the industrial region that remains one of Moscow's key targets, according to a source familiar with the matter.

"It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump posted on Truth Social.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to temper expectations, saying a ceasefire was still possible but that a lasting settlement would require a comprehensive peace deal. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that Putin had agreed to “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine, potentially modeled on NATO’s Article 5, under which an attack on one member triggers collective defense. Witkoff suggested the U.S. and its European allies could extend such commitments outside NATO as a substitute for Ukrainian membership, which Putin opposes.

European leaders remain wary. Macron warned that weakness toward Russia today could invite greater conflicts tomorrow. Officials also confirmed that Putin continues to demand full control of the Donbas region, while Trump has floated the idea of territorial “swapping.” Zelenskyy has categorically rejected ceding territory, calling it unconstitutional and a recipe for future Russian aggression. In a Sunday post on X, he stressed that peace must be “lasting,” not a repeat of the failed settlement after Crimea’s annexation in 2014.

Trump, meanwhile, has signaled impatience. The president insisted that Zelenskyy “can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to,” by giving up NATO ambitions and Crimea. He also reposted a comment suggesting Ukraine must be willing to lose some territory or risk losing even more. Zelenskyy responded cautiously, affirming Ukraine’s desire for peace but underscoring that “our people will not give their land to the occupier.”

European capitals coordinated closely ahead of Monday’s meeting, with NATO leaders holding a virtual summit on Sunday to align their positions. Macron, von der Leyen, and others emphasized that Europe must be part of any framework for Ukraine’s security.

For Trump, the Alaska summit was a chance to cast himself as a dealmaker, though he faced criticism for his treatment of Putin, including allowing the Russian leader to ride with him in the presidential limousine. Trump emerged claiming “big progress” but offering few details. His aides now argue that what lies ahead is not simply a ceasefire but a full peace agreement.