Flanked by European leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with US President Donald Trump today in what could prove the most consequential diplomatic meeting since Russia’s invasion began 42 months ago.
Zelenskyy arrived in Washington Sunday night for two critical sessions at the White House along with representatives from Britain, Germany, France and other European allies in an effort to prevent Trump from pressuring Kyiv into accepting a Russian-favorable peace deal.
Putin’s proposals, reported by Reuters, would require Ukraine to surrender the remainder of its eastern Donetsk region—territory Ukrainian forces currently defend with deeply entrenched positions. Zelenskyy has already rejected this framework.
Trump’s position has shifted dramatically since the Alaska meeting. Previously supportive of Ukraine’s call for an immediate ceasefire to enable deeper peace talks, the president now appears to favor Russia’s approach of negotiating a comprehensive settlement while fighting continues.
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after meeting with Putin in Anchorage on Friday.
Trump will first meet one-on-one with the Ukrainian leader at 1:15 p.m. in the Oval Office, followed by a larger gathering with European allies in the East Room at 3 p.m.
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have grown increasingly strained since Trump took office in January. European leaders held an emergency call with Zelenskyy Sunday to coordinate strategy before Monday’s White House meetings, hoping to present a united front.
“I am grateful to the President of the United States for the invitation. We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram after landing in Washington. “Russia must end this war — the war it started. And I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace.”
Ukraine’s dependence on American weapons and intelligence—much of which has no viable alternative—has forced Zelenskyy to maintain diplomatic ties with Trump despite being berated during their first meeting. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed suggestions that European leaders came to protect Zelenskyy from pressure this time around.
“They’re not coming here tomorrow to keep Zelenskyy from being bullied,” Rubio told CBS. “They’re coming here tomorrow because we’ve been working with the Europeans. We invited them to come.”
Source link
