President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday afternoon, to continue efforts to end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Zelenskyy last visited the Oval Office in February, in a tense meeting where both Pres. Trump and Vice President JD Vance scolded him for what they described as a lack of appreciation for U.S. military support. Monday’s meeting, however, was far more cordial, with Zelenskyy expressing gratitude to Trump for personally working to end the conflict.
Zelenskyy arrived in Washington alongside a high-profile group of European leaders who traveled to the U.S. to show support for Ukraine following Trump’s recent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump described the summit as “productive” but did not announce a ceasefire deal.
Joining Zelenskyy on Monday was 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, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. A spokesperson for Zelenskyy said that talks are expected to extend into a second day.
After their bilateral session, Trump and Zelenskyy joined European leaders for a broader meeting, where calls for concrete security guarantees for Ukraine dominated the discussion. Trump pledged a new commitment to that goal, though some leaders stressed that a ceasefire must be in place before any negotiations with Moscow could move forward. Nearly all of the leaders echoed the demand for binding security guarantees for Ukraine, with several noting they should closely resemble NATO’s Article 5 protections. While Ukraine is not a NATO member, it has long sought membership—an aspiration that Moscow strongly opposes.
Rutte said to Pres. Trump: “The fact that you’ve said you’re willing to take part in security guarantees is a major breakthrough; it makes all the difference.” Both Macron and Merz, however, argued a ceasefire is essential before progress can be made: “The difficult part is still ahead,” Merz said. “We would all like to see a ceasefire, and I don’t see how a trilateral meeting can happen without one.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed that the U.S. would play a role in ensuring Ukraine’s security, though he avoided details: “We’re going to be talking about it today, but they will get very strong protection, very strong security,” Trump said, adding that Putin had signaled Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump stopped short of confirming NATO-style obligations, however, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff suggested Moscow had agreed to protections comparable to NATO’s Article 5, which treats an attack on one ally as an attack on all.
Trump also emphasized that Europe must carry most of the responsibility for such guarantees, with the U.S. playing a supporting role. “They are the first line of defense because they’re right there, but we’ll help, and we’ll be part of it.”
Trump also continued to advocate for a direct meeting between himself, Zelenskyy, and Putin. Zelenskyy indicated Ukraine is open to such talks, saying his country is “ready,” with Trump adding, “I think it’s a matter of when, not if.” Trump also confirmed that he would speak directly with Putin once his meetings with Zelenskyy and the European leaders concluded: “We’ll have a phone call right after these talks today,” Trump said. “If we don’t get a trilateral, the fighting continues. But if we do, I think there’s a real chance to maybe end it.” CNN later reported that Trump paused his meeting with Zelenskyy and other European leaders on Monday to speak with Putin. The news was first reported by German newspaper Bild, who reported the talks with European leaders would continue after the call with Putin at the White House.
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