Several key European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a visit to Washington D.C. to meet with President Donald Trump in an effort to coordinate positions on the war in Ukraine. The visit comes after a summit in Alaska that sparked European concerns that Trump is softening toward Russia and may support a permanent peace deal. It is an approach seen as in line with the Kremlin’s wishes and not just an initial ceasefire.
The European delegation includes pro-Trump leaders such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Their main goal is to ensure Trump supports three important agendas: security guarantees for Ukraine, an end to Russian military aggression, and trilateral peace talks with Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy. EU diplomats confirmed that support for Ukraine must be maintained so that Trump does not deviate from the framework of European diplomacy.
In the talks, Ukraine is demanding post-war security guarantees that can deter future attacks, given that NATO membership is still uncertain. The US special envoy confirmed that Putin agreed in principle to allow the US and Europe to offer protections such as NATO's Article 5. However, EU leaders and former US diplomats warned that the effectiveness of these guarantees is still unclear and needs to be strategically refined.
Meanwhile, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stressed that economic pressure on Russia would continue if the bloodshed did not stop immediately. The EU is now planning a 19th package of sanctions in early September. In the meantime, Europe hopes that Trump will agree to the proposed trilateral talks.
