European leaders to join Zelensky for Washington talks as Trump presses peace deal

European leaders including from Germany, France and Britain will accompany Volodymyr Zelensky to meet Donald Trump in Washington, they said on Sunday, seeking to bolster him as the U.S. president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace.

Ahead of the Washington talks on Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer were hosting a meeting of allies on Sunday to shore up Zelensky's position, hoping in particular to lock down robust security guarantees for Ukraine that would include a U.S. role.

President Trump is leaning on Ukraine to strike an agreement after meeting Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. According to sources, the U.S. and Russian leaders discussed proposals for Russia to relinquish tiny pockets of occupied Ukraine in exchange for Ukraine ceding a swathe of fortified land in the east and freezing the front lines elsewhere.

At face value, some of Putin's demands would be hugely difficult for Ukraine to accept, setting the stage for potentially fraught talks about ending Europe's deadliest war in 80 years, which has killed or wounded more than 1 million people.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also travel to Washington, as will Finland's President Alexander Stubb, whose access to Trump included rounds of golf in Florida earlier this year. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is an admirer of many of Trump's policies, will also go to Washington, her office said.


Reuters