European Leaders to Join Zelensky in Washington Meeting with Trump, Push for Ukraine Peace Deal

International Desk

The leaders of France, Germany and Britain will hold a virtual meeting on Sunday (August 18) to bolster Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he prepares to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington. Trump has been pushing Ukraine to quickly sign a peace deal. At the meeting, European leaders are seeking to secure strong security guarantees for Ukraine and increase pressure on Moscow if necessary, Reuters reported.

The move comes after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday (August 15). Sources say Putin has offered to cede large swathes of eastern Ukraine and stabilize the front line in exchange for the return of some of the territory it has seized. The offer is a tough one for Ukraine to accept, setting the stage for complicated negotiations to end Europe’s deadliest war in 80 years, which has killed more than a million people.

The role of European leaders

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merkel and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host a virtual meeting of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ on Sunday from 1300 GMT. The coalition is made up of Kiev’s allies. The European leaders want to host a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky, so that Ukraine can play a key role in shaping its future. They want strong security guarantees for Ukraine, with US involvement, and the ability to keep pressure on Moscow. “They will outline the essentials for security guarantees: what they can do themselves, what the coalition volunteers will have to do and what they expect from the US,” said a European government official.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finnish President Alexander Stubbs and Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni will also travel to Washington. Von der Leyen will meet with Zelensky in Brussels on Sunday and then travel with him to Washington.

Trump’s position and Zelensky’s response

Trump said Saturday that a deal should be made to end the war in Ukraine because “Russia is a great power.” He spoke with Zelensky by phone after the Alaska summit and said Putin had offered to stabilize most of the front line if Kiev gave up the Donetsk region. Zelensky rejected the demand. Russia already controls about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including three-quarters of Donetsk province.

Trump agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be reached without the ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies have demanded, reversing his previous position. Zelensky said that not ending the fighting would complicate peace efforts. “Stopping the killing is a key component of ending the war,” he wrote in X.

Zelensky’s February Oval Office meeting was disastrous, with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance publicly rebuking him. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the meeting would not be as difficult for Zelensky this time and that European leaders would advise him on how to prepare. She said the US president has the power to pressure Russia with military force and sanctions.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and is now slowly advancing. Putin has shown no sign of changing his long-standing demands, such as imposing sanctions on Ukraine’s desired NATO membership. He has warned Ukraine and its European allies “not to obstruct the emerging progress.”

Ukraine’s air force said Russia attacked with 60 drones and a ballistic missile on Saturday night, destroying or disrupting 40 of them.

This concerted action by European leaders reflects their support for Ukraine. In an X-A post, European Commission President von der Leyen said, “At Zelensky’s request, I will join other European leaders in a meeting with Trump.” The meeting is considered crucial for Ukraine’s future and Europe’s security.

While the presence of European leaders provides strong support for Zelensky, Trump’s push for a quick peace deal and Putin’s tough conditions have created a complex situation for Ukraine. This meeting will play a crucial role in ensuring Ukraine’s future and Europe’s security.