European Leaders to Join Zelenskyy in Meeting with Trump at the White House

Zelenskyy holds meeting with Trump

Europe shows united support for Ukraine

White House as diplomatic stage

According to CBS News, international politics will reach a decisive moment this Monday in Washington, where European and NATO leaders will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for crucial talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The decision to attend as a bloc seeks to reinforce support for Ukraine and send a clear message of unity toward Russia, just days after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, from which Zelenskyy was excluded.

The move represents a strategic maneuver by European allies concerned that Kyiv could be pressured into accepting an unfavorable peace deal under U.S. mediation.

“Europeans are very afraid that the Oval Office scene will repeat itself, and that’s why they want to unconditionally support Mr. Zelenskyy,” explained retired French General Dominique Trinquand, former head of France’s military mission to the UN.

Zelenskyy meeting with Trump: A response to February’s tension

Zelenskyy will arrive in Washington accompanied by European leaders.

The President of the European Commission and the heads of state of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Finland will join the Ukrainian leader in his meeting with Donald Trump. https://t.co/Fcys18DGY5 (dz)

— DW Español (@dw_espanol) August 17, 2025

The White House meeting comes amid lingering tension from the last encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy in February, when a heated Oval Office exchange revealed the fragile relationship between the two leaders.

To avoid a repeat of that episode, European presidents and foreign ministers have decided to publicly back the Ukrainian president.

“It’s a power struggle and a show of strength that could work with Trump,” said Trinquand in a phone interview, stressing that the strategy is designed to balance the treatment of Kyiv.

The presence of European leaders alongside Zelenskyy aims to ease concerns in both Kyiv and European capitals about potential isolation in peace negotiations with Russia.

Rubio denies it is a show of support

European Leaders to Join Zelenskyy in Meeting with Trump – FOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

However, from the U.S. administration, some officials reject the notion that this represents calculated backing for Ukraine against Trump’s pressure.

Senator Marco Rubio, in an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, insisted that the European leaders’ arrival was part of a long-planned invitation.

“We’ve been working with these people on this for weeks,” Rubio said. “They’re coming tomorrow because they’re supposed to come tomorrow. We invited them. The president invited them.”

He emphasized that after the summit with Putin there was “enough progress — not much — but enough progress” to justify a new phase of dialogue now including Zelenskyy and the Europeans.

Progress and expectations of the meeting

Zelenskyy meets Trump with European leaders PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Although Rubio noted that a definitive peace deal is not yet close, he acknowledged that there is sufficient progress for a follow-up meeting in Washington.

“I’m not saying we’re about to reach a peace agreement, but I am saying we’ve seen progress,” he explained, highlighting that this allows more time to be devoted to a multilateral negotiation process.

What remains unclear is whether all European leaders traveling to Washington will attend the meeting with Trump, or if some will hold parallel coordination sessions.

The meeting’s exact format is still uncertain, though it is confirmed to carry a high diplomatic profile.

Who is part of the European delegation

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced her participation “at the request of President Zelenskyy,” underscoring the EU’s institutional commitment to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will also join, with his press office confirming his presence in Washington.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said he would travel to Washington “at President Zelenskyy’s side,” though it did not specify whether he would take part directly in the talks with Trump.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also included in the group, though his official agenda has not confirmed his presence at the negotiating table.

European leaders want a voice in the peace process

The joint trip by European leaders underscores their determination to ensure that Europe is not sidelined in any potential Trump-led peace deal with Russia.

The fact that Zelenskyy was not invited to Trump’s recent summit with Putin deepened distrust in Kyiv and Brussels over Washington’s real intentions.

Now, by going together to the White House, Europe seeks to politically shield the Ukrainian president and prevent him from being forced to accept conditions imposed unilaterally.

The meeting in Washington could mark a turning point in the diplomatic balance between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia, with Europe striving to demonstrate that it remains an indispensable player in the continent’s security.