European and NATO leaders confirmed on Sunday that they will travel with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington for critical discussions with US President Donald Trump, a move seen as a show of solidarity with Kyiv after Trump’s exclusive summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One after another, European leaders announced plans to be present alongside Zelenskyy when he heads to the White House on Monday. The coordinated show of support comes months after a tense February meeting where Trump lashed out at the Ukrainian president during a heated exchange in the Oval Office.
According to news agency AP, retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, who previously led France’s military mission at the United Nations, told reporters over the phone: “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.”
High-Profile European Representation
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on X that she will join the talks, noting it was “at the request of President Zelenskyy.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s press office also confirmed his participation.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated that he will travel to Washington “at the side of President Zelenskyy,” though it did not specify whether he would be present during the actual discussions with Trump, as per AP. Similarly, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s office confirmed he would be part of the European delegation, without clarifying his role inside the talks.
Europe Pushes for a Voice in Ukraine Peace Efforts
The decision to travel as a group underlined European leaders’ determination to assert their influence in Trump’s attempts at peace-making with Russia. Their move comes on the heels of Trump’s Friday summit with Putin in which Zelenskyy was notably excluded, fuelling concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that Ukraine could be pressured into a deal dictated by Washington and Moscow.
