Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be accompanied by a large group of European leaders during his Monday visit to Washington, D.C., where he is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump is reportedly preparing to press Zelensky to make concessions to Russia and negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement.
Confirmed attendees include NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Reports also suggest that French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer may join the delegation, though their participation has not been officially confirmed.
The unusually large European presence appears designed to prevent a repeat of the tense Oval Office confrontation that occurred during Zelensky’s first Washington visit with Trump on February 28. Western media outlets have reported that European officials are coaching Zelensky on how to handle Trump, cautioning him against “emotional diplomacy” that could spark conflict with the U.S. leader.
At the same time, the contingent is expected to attempt to sway Trump away from the position he adopted after his Friday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following that discussion, Trump shifted from supporting an unconditional ceasefire to backing Moscow’s call for a comprehensive peace deal as the path forward to ending the war.
Zelensky has repeatedly rejected any territorial concessions to Russia. Speaking Sunday at a joint press conference with von der Leyen in Brussels, he reiterated that peace talks should begin only after a ceasefire is established along the current line of contact.
Earlier this year, Zelensky clashed openly with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance over even agreeing to a ceasefire. That dispute ended only after Trump temporarily froze U.S. weapons shipments and intelligence support to Ukraine, and Zelensky’s aides were summoned to Saudi Arabia without him. Kiev ultimately relented and accepted a 30-day ceasefire, but tensions between Washington and Kiev have remained high.