NEED TO KNOW
- Trump met with President Zelensky earlier Monday before convening with European leaders.
- Leaders took a “family photo” and launched a multilateral meeting in the East Room of the White House.
- Both Trump and Zelensky signaled readiness for a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Big Picture
President Donald Trump and European leaders gathered in the East Room of the White House on Monday for a high-level multilateral meeting, following his bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The leaders posed for a “family photo” before sitting at a long table lined with national flags. Trump said he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the session, raising prospects of a trilateral meeting aimed at advancing peace talks in Ukraine, according to the Associated Press.What’s New
Zelensky told reporters that Kyiv’s demands for any deal include a “strong Ukrainian army” supported by Western training, weapons, and intelligence, as well as lasting backing from major powers. He also noted that territorial questions will ultimately be decided at a trilateral table with Trump and Putin. Trump, for his part, suggested that while he favored an eventual ceasefire to “stop the killing,” it was not a precondition for negotiations. “In the six wars that I’ve settled, I haven’t had a ceasefire. We just got into negotiations,” he remarked.
What They’re Saying
“I can’t imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire. So let’s work on that, and let’s try to put pressure on Russia.”
— German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
Other leaders voiced cautious optimism. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Trump that his willingness to explore security guarantees for Ukraine marked a “breakthrough.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged collaboration for a “just and lasting peace,” while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the gathering as “an important day and new phase.”
Context
Earlier Monday, Trump held a bilateral meeting with Zelensky in the Oval Office, where he said a ceasefire was “unnecessary.” Afterward, he convened the expanded group of European leaders, signaling Washington’s central role in brokering peace talks. The discussions are part of Trump’s broader push to position the U.S. as mediator between Kyiv and Moscow. As reported by the Hill, Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine would not concede territory, despite Russian suggestions that a peace agreement could involve ceding the Donetsk region.What’s Next
Trump indicated that U.S. troop placements in Eastern Europe remain on the table, though he has yet to confirm details. Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s readiness to meet with both Trump and Putin directly, underscoring hopes for a trilateral summit. European leaders, meanwhile, pressed for a ceasefire as a precursor to further negotiations, though Trump has kept his options open. The East Room talks were still ongoing as of this reporting.The Bottom Line
The White House meetings underscore the delicate balance between Trump’s push for swift negotiations, Europe’s insistence on a ceasefire, and Zelensky’s refusal to cede land. Whether Putin joins a trilateral summit could determine how quickly peace talks progress.
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