Will Trump embrace Zelenskyy as warmly as Putin? Anxious Europe works out plans for fair talks

US President Donald Trump’s warm approach to Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Friday at the Alaska summit has unsettled European leaders, who fear Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may not receive the same treatment.

In response, European leaders are scrambling to strengthen Kyiv’s position ahead of the crucial meeting in Washington on Monday.

According to a Politico report citing two European diplomats and a person familiar with the matter, plans are under way for Finnish President Alexander Stubb to accompany Zelenskyy when he meets Trump in Washington. Stubb, seen as one of Trump’s preferred interlocutors, is expected to help ease tensions and press Trump to involve Europe in future negotiations.

Putin was warmly greeted by the US president, with American troops rolling out a red carpet for him as Trump extended every courtesy.

Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska ended without any agreement, leaving the road ahead uncertain.

Now, Trump is set to host Zelenskyy in Washington on Monday, putting the spotlight on the Ukrainian leader. Afterwards, Trump plans to attempt bringing Zelenskyy and Putin  for a meet up to pursue a peace deal.

For Europe and Ukraine, Monday’s talks are crucial to ensuring Trump does not concede to Moscow’s demands, such as handing over Ukrainian territory Russia only partially controls. European allies also want to avoid a repeat of the rocky White House encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy in February, which strained ties for months.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who has developed close ties with Trump, may also join the Washington trip, one person familiar with the discussions said.

“The outcome of the Alaska summit has raised concerns in Europe, as Trump seems to have bought a large portion of Putin’s argument,” said Camille Grand, a former senior NATO official now at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “The meeting is not viewed as a total disaster, but Europeans are definitely worried about the direction of travel. Hence the effort to avoid another drama during Zelenskyy’s upcoming visit.”

Trump has already softened his stance, dropping the threat of immediate sanctions on Moscow if no breakthrough was reached and shifting away from pressing for an immediate ceasefire. Instead, he has spoken of a comprehensive deal in terms that echo Putin.

Behind the scenes, officials in Europe and Ukraine are alarmed at the welcome Putin received in Alaska, which they believe handed him international legitimacy without meaningful steps toward peace.

“Worries have been there all the way this year, and yesterday’s meeting did not really help,” said one European official.

Trump’s position on the war has shifted in recent weeks. While he long accused Ukraine of fuelling the conflict, he was more critical of Russia ahead of the Alaska summit, even warning Putin of “severe consequences” if he did not agree to stop the war. But after hours of talks, Trump abandoned the demand for a ceasefire, again saying it was up to Ukraine to end the fighting and urging Kyiv to “take the deal”, without clarifying what Putin had proposed.