KYIV — European and NATO leaders to join Zelenskyy for critical White House meeting
In a bold move to show solidarity with Ukraine, European and NATO leaders will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House on Monday for a high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, announced European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday.
The joint appearance is seen as a strategic maneuver to prevent Trump from pressuring Zelenskyy into accepting unfavorable terms in a potential peace deal with Russia, amid growing concerns in Kyiv and across Europe.
Von der Leyen revealed on social media platform X that her participation, along with other European leaders, was at the request of Zelenskyy himself. “In support of Ukraine and at the request of President Zelenskyy, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow,” she wrote.
Following her announcement, several other high-level European figures confirmed their attendance, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
This coordinated diplomatic effort underscores European leaders’ commitment to playing a central role in negotiations over Ukraine’s future, as well as demonstrating strong transatlantic support for Kyiv following the recent summit in Alaska that excluded Zelenskyy.
With Trump hinting at a direct peace agreement rather than a ceasefire, there are concerns in Europe that Russia could exploit this strategy to further its aggression while talks are ongoing. Monday’s meeting is expected to address security guarantees for Ukraine, European involvement in future settlement talks, and the development of a unified diplomatic approach moving forward. — Agencies
