Zelenskyy Meets Trump in Washington Backed by European Leaders to Discuss Ukraine Security

Published Time: 08-18-2025, 12:00

European and NATO leaders will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to secure military support and stronger security guarantees. This coordinated approach follows Zelenskyy’s exclusion from Trump’s recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and seeks to reinforce Kyiv’s position.

European Leaders Rally Behind Zelenskyy

Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland confirmed Sunday that they will join Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday. Their presence aims to provide diplomatic support and prevent a repeat of February’s tense Oval Office meeting, in which Trump sharply criticized the Ukrainian president.

Retired French General Dominique Trinquand, former head of France’s military mission at the United Nations, said, “The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr. Zelenskyy to the hilt. It’s a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump.”

Security Guarantees and Peace Efforts

During his Alaska summit with Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly agreed that the U.S. and its European allies could offer Ukraine security guarantees similar to NATO’s collective defense pledge. Special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff called this development “game-changing,” noting it was the first time Russia indicated openness to such guarantees.

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that European leaders will ask Trump to support plans to strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces, already the largest in Europe outside Russia, through training, equipment, and long-term funding. “We need a credible format for the Ukrainian army,” Macron said. “We Europeans and Americans must decide how we’ll train, equip, and finance this effort.”

The European plan also envisions allied forces stationed away from the front lines, providing reassurance that peace can be maintained and deterring another potential Russian invasion. Macron highlighted that “several thousand men on the ground in Ukraine in the zone of peace” would demonstrate that “our fates are linked.”

Coordination Among International Partners

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reinforced Macron’s message, stating, “We welcome President Trump’s willingness to contribute to Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine. The coalition of the willing—including the European Union—is ready to do its share.”

Other European leaders confirmed their participation, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Their collective support aims to reassure Kyiv that Ukraine will not be pressured into premature agreements.

Neil Melvin, director of international security at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said European leaders are working to “shape this fast-evolving agenda” after the Alaska summit, where the focus has shifted from ceasefire discussions toward long-term security arrangements and preventing Ukraine from joining NATO or the EU under duress.

Ceasefire or Full Peace Deal?

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a ceasefire remains “not off the table,” but a comprehensive peace deal is considered the best path forward. Putin has resisted meeting Zelenskyy in person, insisting that groundwork for a peace deal must be established first. He also suggested that European nations could inadvertently create obstacles through “behind-the-scenes intrigue.”

For Zelenskyy, European participation is essential to gain entry into high-level discussions about Ukraine’s future and broader European security, according to Melvin. However, with so many leaders attending, the group must avoid sending mixed messages. “The risk is they look heavy-handed and are ganging up on Trump,” Melvin added.

Substantive Security Commitments

While discussions on Article 5-like guarantees remain in early stages, such guarantees would likely mirror NATO terms, where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Zelenskyy has stressed that meaningful security commitments require a strong Ukrainian military, European funding, and access to U.S.-provided weapons.

“A security guarantee is a strong army. Only Ukraine can provide that. Only Europe can finance this army, and weapons for this army can be provided by our domestic production and European production. Some items are only available in the United States,” Zelenskyy said at a press conference alongside von der Leyen.

Zelenskyy also countered Trump’s proposal—aligned with Putin’s preference—to negotiate a full end to the war immediately. Instead, he argued that a ceasefire is necessary to review Russia’s demands and create conditions for meaningful negotiations. “It’s impossible to do this under the pressure of weapons,” he said. “Putin does not want to stop the killing, but he must do it.”

Next Steps

Monday’s talks in Washington will be a critical test of coordination between Ukraine, European powers, and the United States. Leaders aim to outline concrete plans for military support, long-term security guarantees, and strategies to deter further Russian aggression. The meeting also seeks to ensure Ukraine’s voice is central in shaping peace agreements and regional security.