European leaders will join Volodymyr Zelensky to meet Donald Trump in Washington, seeking to shore up Zelensky’s position as the US president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace deal to end Europe’s deadliest war in 80 years.
Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Finland are rallying around the Ukrainian president after his exclusion from Trump’s summit on Friday with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and French president Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister Keir Starmer, German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian premier Giorgia Meloni and Finnish president Alexander Stubb also said they’ll will take part in Monday’s talks, as will secretary-general of the Nato military alliance, Mark Rutte.
Their pledge to be at Zelensky’s side at the White House today is an apparent effort to ensure the meeting goes better than the last one in February, when Trump berated Zelensky in a heated Oval Office encounter.
Trump is leaning on Zelensky to strike an agreement after he met Russian leader Putin in Alaska and emerged more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal instead of a ceasefire first.
Sir Keir Starmer will travel to Washington DC on Monday with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and France’s Emmanuel Macron (PA Wire)
Arpan Rai18 August 2025 04:38