European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Share and Follow

() Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were set to convene in Washington, D.C., on Monday, alongside a host of European leaders and fresh off a summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin that failed to secure a ceasefire.

Zelenskyy on Monday said he was in the U.S. capital and ready to speak with Trump, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Trump will first meet with Zelenskyy at 1 p.m. ET, then they will head into a high-stakes meeting with other European leaders at 3 p.m. ET.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Top officials from across Europe will discuss the war in Ukraine with Trump and Zelenskyy. (Credit: )

Zelenskyy has the power to “end the war with Russia almost immediately” if he concedes territory and gives up on entering NATO, Trump said Sunday on social media. Trump’s calls echo those of Russia, which Zelenskyy has vehemently opposed during the 3.5-year war.

An end to the war is a goal Zelenskyy has continuously pushed but not on Russia’s terms.

“We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East part of Donbas and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “Or when Ukraine was given so called ‘security guarantees’ in 1994, but they didn’t work.”

Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal hinges on territory demands

One of the obstacles for Monday’s meeting will likely be the issue of territory and what Trump has called “land swaps,” though all of the land in question belongs to Ukraine.

Russia is specifically seeking the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up the Donbas, European officials said. Kremlin forces occupy around 75% of the area currently.

“There is an important discussion to be had with regard to Donetsk and what would happen there. And that discussion is going to specifically be detailed on Monday,” said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who took part in the Alaska summit.

Zelenskyy has consistently rejected Russia’s demands for Ukrainian territory. Russia currently holds roughly 20% of Ukrainian land, including Crimea, so any deal that freezes the lines more or less where they are would benefit Moscow.

The Ukrainian leader on Sunday again called on Russia to end the war, adding that he hopes “our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace.”

‘s Anna Kutz, The Hill and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Inside former Prince Andrew's humiliating last Royal Lodge Christmas

Former Prince Andrew Faces Humiliation During Final Christmas at Royal Lodge

Battling the relentless downpour and the biting winds of fate, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor…
TV anchor tells how she was pulled off screens after 27 years

Veteran TV Anchor Shares Her Experience of Unexpected Departure After 27 Years on Air

After nearly thirty years as the prominent figure of a California news…
Johnson and Johnson owes 65.6 million to Minnesota woman Anna Jean Houghton Carley with cancer after using talcum powder

Minnesota Woman Awarded $65.6 Million in Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuit

In a landmark decision, a Minnesota jury has awarded $65.5 million to…
The surprising fatty food linked to a lower risk of dementia

Discover the Unexpected Fatty Food That Reduces Dementia Risk

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have identified a potential connection between consuming…
Anna Kepner's final moments captured before she was found dead

Tragic Discovery: Final Moments of Anna Kepner Revealed Before Mysterious Death

A fellow passenger on the cruise ship where 18-year-old Anna Kepner was…
Weezer bassist's wife says 'world fell to pieces' after shooting

Heartbreaking Confession: Weezer Bassist’s Wife Opens Up About Devastating Shooting Aftermath

Scott Shriner, the bassist for Weezer, is facing personal turmoil as his…
Former Seattle Mariners first round pick Mike Campbell dead at 61

Former Mariners First-Round Draft Pick Mike Campbell Passes Away at 61

Mike Campbell, a former first-round draft selection by the Seattle Mariners, has…
Eagles overcome flubs to top Commanders and repeat as NFC East champs

Eagles Triumph Over Commanders to Secure Consecutive NFC East Championship Titles

LANDOVER, Md. — The Philadelphia Eagles, reigning Super Bowl champions, did not…