Zelensky meets European leaders as Trump pushes for quick Ukraine Peace Deal

LONDON/KYIV/WASHINGTON: European leaders will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington on Monday, where they will meet US President Donald Trump.

Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept a rapid peace agreement to end the ongoing conflict with Russia. The US President, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, has become increasingly aligned with Moscow’s stance on seeking a peace deal rather than a ceasefire.

Also read: Trump hails big progress on Russia, Zelensky doesn’t see any sign

Sources say Trump is pressing Zelensky to strike an agreement, which could involve significant territorial compromises. The US and Russia have reportedly discussed a proposal that would see Russia withdraw from small areas of occupied Ukrainian territory in exchange for Ukraine ceding strategic land in the eastern Donbas region.

The White House has not yet confirmed details of the meeting, but it is expected that Zelensky and Trump will have a bilateral conversation, followed by a larger discussion with European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

While Trump has hinted that Ukraine could end the war “almost immediately” if it agrees to certain terms, including abandoning its aspirations to reclaim Crimea and join NATO, European leaders have expressed concern about any peace deal that does not involve Ukraine’s full participation and territorial integrity.

European officials maintained that security guarantees for Ukraine would be essential in any deal, particularly in ensuring that any peace agreement does not result in further territorial losses for Kyiv. “We cannot negotiate peace under falling bombs,” Poland’s foreign ministry said.

Trump has argued that a swift peace agreement is necessary to stop the ongoing suffering, which has resulted in more than a million casualties since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. However, his comments on social media, including a post, promising “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA,” have raised questions about the specifics of the deal and its implications for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Meanwhile, European leaders have pushed back against proposals that could lead to further territorial concessions by Ukraine. Zelensky has reiterated that any security guarantees must be concrete and involve European participation, ensuring Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity.

US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have suggested that security guarantees could take the form of a defensive pact akin to NATO’s Article 5, but without Ukraine’s formal membership. This potential agreement marks a shift from previous US positions on Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.

Also read: Macron, Merz, Meloni to join Zelensky for Trump talks

Meanwhile, Zelensky has already rejected proposals that would involve ceding the Donbas region to Russia, with the Ukrainian president making clear that such a deal would not be acceptable.