European leaders back Zelenskyy in White House talks

European leaders plan to join Zelenskyy in Washington for a White House meeting with Trump to show unity after Zelenskyy was excluded from Trump’s Putin talks.

European Leaders Back Zelenskyy in White House Talks with Trump

KYIV. Zelenskyy will travel to Washington for a White House meeting with Donald Trump as European leaders line up to join him. Officials confirmed Ursula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte will attend, part of a broader show of European support after Zelenskyy was left out of Trump’s talks with Vladimir Putin. In February, Trump publicly chastised the Ukrainian president in a tense Oval Office encounter, which prompted allies to seek a more coordinated display this time.

Von der Leyen said she will participate at Zelenskyy’s request, and Rutte will join the effort, as noted by their offices. Macron’s team said the French president will travel to Washington at Zelenskyy’s side, while the German chancellor Friedrich Merz is described as part of the group without confirmation on his role. The staging underscored Europe’s resolve to have a voice in what Trump has framed as a peace talks with Russia, following the Putin summit that Zelenskyy did not attend.

This display is a signal of collective resolve inside Europe. It shows a clear preference for a united front to safeguard Ukraine’s interests and to complicate any deal that sidelines Kyiv. The move also reflects a broader strategy to ensure European voices are heard in high level diplomacy that shapes the region’s security.

The arrangement raises questions about how much leverage European leaders truly have in Washington. It could deter a rapid, one sided agreement or become a bargaining chip in a broader U.S. push on Russia. Either way, optics matter, and the real test will be whether unity translates into concrete policy influence for Ukraine.

Highlights

Europe will watch whether this display translates into real influence in Washington.