European leaders to hold summit with Zelenskyy after meeting with Trump
The initial meeting between President Donald Trump and his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy will precede a broader session with European leaders traveling to Washington to discuss the future of the Russia-Ukraine war.
President Emmanuel Macron with Ursula van der Leyen and Volodymir Zelenski.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet this Monday afternoon at the White House, in a meeting that will also be attended by Vice President JD Vance, according to reports from The Hill.
This initial meeting will precede a larger session with European leaders who will travel to Washington to discuss the future of the war between Russia and Ukraine, sources told the outlet.
The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy revives a previous meeting in the Oval Office in February, which proved tense when Trump and Vance criticized the Ukrainian leader for his handling of the conflict and for not showing enough appreciation for U.S. support.
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That meeting ended without concrete progress but generated concern in Europe over Trump's stance, which advocated a peace deal that could involve territorial concessions by Ukraine.
European leaders
Monday's extended session will be joined by prominent European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; German Chancellor Friedrich Merz; French President Emmanuel Macron; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer; Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Also present will be the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, who has cultivated a strong relationship with Trump.
In that regard, European leaders seek to show a united front with Ukraine. "Our goal is to present a united front between Europeans and Ukrainians," said Macron, who expressed doubts about Putin's intentions.
In addition, Von der Leyen noted, "I am very glad that I am able to accompany you and other European leaders for the meeting tomorrow", she stated.
Trump administration denies rumors
For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who participated in the Alaska summit along with Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, defended the administration's position Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation." In that vein, Rubio rejected accusations that Trump would press Zelenskyy to accept an unfavorable deal, stressing that the United States has been working with the Europeans and has sought concessions from Putin to achieve an acceptable peace agreement for Ukraine.
Monday's Schedule
This initial meeting will be a key opportunity for Trump and Zelenskyy to discuss directly the prospects for negotiations on the conflict.
Following this initial meeting, the day will continue with an expanded summit bringing together European leaders traveling to Washington, which will include a working lunch, is designed to consolidate a coordinated approach between the United States, Ukraine, and European allies. The working lunch will be a space for strategic discussions, where leaders will seek to align positions on how to advance peace negotiations, at a time when Trump's positions, following his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The presence of Rutte, who has developed a strong relationship with Trump, will be crucial in facilitating dialogue with NATO.
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