Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be in Washington for a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
The discussion is expected to revolve around how a possible peace deal might be worked out to finally stop the war in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy won’t be arriving alone. Alongside him will be European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The point of bringing them all together is fairly clear to show that Europe is standing as one with Ukraine.
The talks come right after Trump’s recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. That meeting didn’t lead to a ceasefire, but it did set the stage for wider negotiations about a possible peace deal.
Trump now appears to be leaning toward a broader settlement that could involve territorial questions, rather than just stopping the fighting where it stands.
That approach lines up more with what Putin has been calling for, and it marks an important shift in the wider diplomatic push around the war.
Zelenskyy-Trump meeting: What to expect
One of the sticking points is whether Ukraine can get some kind of security guarantee that works like NATO’s Article 5, the idea that if Russia strikes again, other countries would be obliged to step in.
That’s seen in Kyiv as the only way to stop Moscow from trying again in the future.
Trump, on the other hand, is expected to lean on Zelenskyy about giving up land, with Donbas likely to dominate the conversation since Russia has claimed it for years, and the fighting there never really stopped.
He has already made it clear that Crimea and NATO membership aren’t even on the table, which points to a deal that would require Ukraine to make painful territorial compromises if peace is to be reached.
Zelenskyy could close the war ‘immediately’: Trump
Trump has suggested that Zelenskyy could bring the war to a close “almost immediately” if he accepts certain conditions, pointing to his push for a negotiated deal.
Zelenskyy, though, has repeatedly rejected the idea of being forced into giving up territory.
That’s where the European leaders come in, as their presence is meant to reinforce his position and make it harder for him to be cornered into a settlement that cuts into Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Zelenskyy is expected to stress the need for a lasting peace, making it clear he’s wary of any short-term deals or ceasefires that don’t really secure Ukraine’s independence and safety in the long run.
The gathering also highlights the wider transatlantic picture on one hand, it shows strong Western backing through the presence of European leaders, but it also reflects the tensions that have run through the alliance.
And the fact that this meeting follows a rocky earlier encounter between Zelenskyy and Trump adds another layer, suggesting either a shift in their relationship or at least a willingness to re-engage over the war.
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