{"id":354145,"date":"2025-08-18T12:16:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T12:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/354145\/"},"modified":"2025-08-18T12:16:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T12:16:18","slug":"zelenskyy-brings-europes-top-leaders-with-him-to-meet-trump","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/354145\/","title":{"rendered":"Zelenskyy brings Europe’s top leaders with him to meet Trump"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Ukraine\u2019s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting<\/a> Monday at the White House as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brings with him an extraordinary cadre of European leaders to show U.S. President Donald Trump a united front against Russia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The European political heavy-hitters were left out of Trump\u2019s summit<\/a> with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday, and they\u2019re looking to safeguard Ukraine and the continent from any widening aggression<\/a> from Moscow. <\/p>\n

By arriving as a group, they hope to avoid any debacles like Zelenskyy\u2019s February meeting in the Oval Office<\/a>, where Trump chastised him for not showing enough gratitude for American military aid. The meeting also is a test of America\u2019s relationship with its closest allies after the European Union and the United Kingdom accepted Trump\u2019s tariff hikes<\/a> partly because they wanted his support on Ukraine.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n

Monday\u2019s showing is a sign of the progress and the possible distress coming out of the Alaska meeting<\/a> as many of Europe\u2019s leaders descend on Washington with the explicit goal of protecting Ukraine\u2019s interests, a rare and sweeping show of diplomatic force.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, and therefore for all of Europe,\u201d Zelenskyy said on X.<\/p>\n

The night before the meeting, however, Trump seemed to put the onus on Zelenskyy to agree to concessions and suggested Ukraine couldn\u2019t regain Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, setting off an armed conflict that led to its broader 2022 invasion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"People<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,\u201d Trump wrote on social media. \u201cRemember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zelenskyy appeared to respond with his own post, saying, \u201cWe all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably.\u201d He went on to say that \u201cpeace must be lasting,\u201d not as it was after Russia seized Crimea and part of the Donbas in eastern Ukraine eight years ago, and \u201cPutin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sitdown in Alaska<\/a> yielded the possible contours for stopping the war in Ukraine<\/a>, though it was unclear whether the terms discussed would ultimately be acceptable to Zelenskyy or Putin.<\/p>\n

Upon arrival in Washington, Zelenskyy said in another social media post: \u201cWe all equally want to end this war quickly and reliably.\u201d He expressed hope that together with the U.S. and European countries Ukraine will be able to force Russia to \u201ctrue peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

European heavyweights in Washington<\/p>\n

Planning to join Zelenskyy in America\u2019s capital are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.<\/p>\n

On the table for discussion are possible NATO-like security guarantees<\/a> Ukraine would need for any peace with Russia to be durable. Putin opposes Ukraine joining NATO outright, yet Trump\u2019s team claims the Russian leader is open to allies agreeing to defend Ukraine if it comes under attack.<\/p>\n

Trump briefed Zelenskyy and European allies shortly after the Putin meeting, and details from the discussions emerged in a scattershot way that seemed to rankle the Republican U.S. president, who had chosen not to outline any terms<\/a> when appearing afterward with Putin.<\/p>\n

\"Britain's<\/p>\n

\n Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, welcomes Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Street in London, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Kirsty Wigglesworth)\n <\/p>\n

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, welcomes Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Street in London, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Kirsty Wigglesworth)<\/p>\n

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\"Ukrainian<\/p>\n

\n Zelenskyy is welcomed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz upon arrival in the garden of the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 13, 2025. (John MacDougall\/Pool Photo via AP)\n <\/p>\n

Zelenskyy is welcomed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz upon arrival in the garden of the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 13, 2025. (John MacDougall\/Pool Photo via AP)<\/p>\n

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\u201cBIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA,\u201d Trump posted online Sunday. The president also bemoaned media coverage of his summit with Putin, saying on Truth Social: \u201cI had a great meeting in Alaska.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following the Alaska summit, Trump declared a ceasefire was unnecessary<\/a> for peace talks to proceed, a shift to a position favored by Putin<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday a ceasefire was still possible but \u201cthe best way to end this conflict is through a full peace deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018A very big move\u2019<\/p>\n

European officials confirmed Trump told them Putin is still seeking control of the entire Donbas region<\/a>, even though Ukraine controls a meaningful share of it. <\/p>\n

And Trump\u2019s special envoy Steve Witkoff said the U.S. and its allies could offer Ukraine a NATO-like commitment to defend the country if it came under attack as the possible security guarantee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Ukraine's<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo)<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo)<\/p>\n

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\u201cHow that\u2019s constructed, what we call it, how it\u2019s built, what guarantees are built into it that are enforceable, that\u2019s what we\u2019ll be talking about over the next few days with our partners who are coming in from overseas,\u201d Rubio told NBC\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press.\u201d <\/p>\n

Rubio said on Fox News Channel\u2019s \u201cSunday Morning Futures\u201d such a commitment \u201cwould be a very big move\u201d by Trump. He expects the delegations will \u201cspend six, seven hours talking about these things, maybe more, and try to get to a point where we have something more concrete.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monday\u2019s meeting will likely be very tough for Zelenskyy, an official close to the ongoing talks said. That official spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak openly about thinking within Ukraine and between allies. <\/p>\n

Zelenskyy needs to prevent a scenario in which he gets blamed for blocking peace talks by rejecting Putin\u2019s maximalist demand on the Donbas, the official said. It\u2019s a demand Zelenskyy has said many times he\u2019ll never accept because it\u2019s unconstitutional and could create a launching pad for future Russian attacks.<\/p>\n

If confronted with pressure to accept Putin\u2019s demands, Zelenskyy would likely have to revert to a skill he has demonstrated time and again: diplomatic tact. Ukrainian leadership is seeking a trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump and Putin to discuss sensitive matters, including territorial issues.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s ambition to end the war<\/p>\n

After enduring a public tirade by Trump<\/a> and Vice President JD Vance in February, Zelenskyy worked to repair relations with the U.S.<\/p>\n

Constant diplomatic communication and a 15-minute meeting at the Vatican<\/a> in April on the sidelines of Pope Francis\u2019 funeral helped turn the tide. Trump appeared at the time to be swayed by Zelenskyy\u2019s conditions for peace.<\/p>\n

But Trump says he cares primarily about ending the war, an ambition that led him after his meeting with Putin to discard the need for a ceasefire.<\/p>\n

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\"In<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and President Donald Trump, talk as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and President Donald Trump, talk as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)<\/p>\n

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European allies also have worked with Trump, reaching a deal in July for NATO allies to buy weapons from the U.S. for Ukraine<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Ahead of Monday\u2019s meeting, Macron stressed the importance of building up Ukraine\u2019s military and the need to show Putin that Europe interprets his moves as a threat to other nations.<\/p>\n

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\"French<\/p>\n

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives to speak after attending a video conference with members of the so-called \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at the Fort de Bregancon in Bormes-les-Mimosas, southern France. (AP Photo\/Philippe Magoni, Pool)<\/p>\n

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives to speak after attending a video conference with members of the so-called \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 at the Fort de Bregancon in Bormes-les-Mimosas, southern France. (AP Photo\/Philippe Magoni, Pool)<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf we are weak with Russia today, we\u2019ll be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow and they will impact the Ukrainians and \u2014 make no mistake \u2014 they can impact us, too,\u201d Macron said.<\/p>\n

Russia continues attacks on Ukraine<\/p>\n

In the meantime, the Russian forces continued pounding Ukraine with missiles and drones. <\/p>\n

A Russian drone strike late Sunday on Kharkiv, Ukraine\u2019s second largest city, killed seven civilians. The strike also injured 20 people, authorities said.<\/p>\n

Russian aerial attacks also targeted the northeastern Sumy region and the southern Odesa region. <\/p>\n

In Zaporizhzhia, a city in the southeast, 17 people were injured in an attack Monday, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov.<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s Air Force said Russia launched four Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 140 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine overnight, of which 88 drones were intercepted or jammed. <\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Kullab reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writers John Leicester in Le Pecq, France, Illia Novikov in Kyiv and Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Ukraine\u2019s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting Monday at the White House as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":354146,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5174],"tags":[12019,6904,32,34,2000,299,5187,1699,14307,1945,4179,2440,8614,125002,116826,601,807,2820,2992,2821,56247,285,332,7661,7070,657,7662,11654,1220,333,2601,7660,10673,263],"class_list":{"0":"post-354145","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-eu","8":"tag-ap-top-news","9":"tag-barack-obama","10":"tag-donald-trump","11":"tag-emmanuel-macron","12":"tag-eu","13":"tag-europe","14":"tag-european","15":"tag-european-union","16":"tag-foreign-aid","17":"tag-friedrich-merz","18":"tag-general-news","19":"tag-giorgia-meloni","20":"tag-international-agreements","21":"tag-italy-government","22":"tag-ivan-fedorov","23":"tag-jd-vance","24":"tag-keir-starmer","25":"tag-marco-rubio","26":"tag-mark-rutte","27":"tag-nato","28":"tag-north-atlantic-treaty-organization","29":"tag-politics","30":"tag-russia","31":"tag-russia-ukraine-war","32":"tag-steve-witkoff","33":"tag-ukraine","34":"tag-ukraine-government","35":"tag-united-kingdom-government","36":"tag-ursula-von-der-leyen","37":"tag-vladimir-putin","38":"tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy","39":"tag-war-and-unrest","40":"tag-washington-news","41":"tag-world-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=354145"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354145\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/354146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=354145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=354145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=354145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}