From Macron to Meloni: European leaders to join Zelensky for Washington meet with Donald Trump

Hindustan Times

4 hours ago

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not be alone while meeting US President Donald Trump in Washington DC, on Monday for talks aimed at ending the conflict with Russia. Several leaders from all across Europe and even NATO will be joining the meeting, keeping in mind the showdown that happened between Trump and Zelensky the last time the Ukrainian leader was in the US capital.(AP File)
Several leaders from all across Europe and even NATO will be joining the meeting, keeping in mind the showdown that happened between Trump and Zelensky the last time the Ukrainian leader was in the US capital.
The meeting comes days after Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska for summit talks, where the latter reportedly put a demand that Ukraine hand over the eastern region of Donbas to end the war.
The list of leaders joining the Donald Trump-Volodymyr Zelensky talks in Washington
A long list of leaders from across Europe has confirmed their attendance at the talks between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, DC, on Monday. These include several Presidents and Prime Ministers of European nations and even NATO officials. Here is a list of confirmed attendees:
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
Finnish President Alexander Stubb
French President Emmanuel Macron
NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Earlier on Sunday, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz also hosted the France-led 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting, where European allies met over video call to discuss the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska on Friday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined the call and praised Trump's efforts, Reuters reported. He said the US President had 'brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia's illegal war in Ukraine'. He reiterated Europe's 'unwavering" support for Ukraine.
'While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelensky,' Starmer said in a statement issued by his office later.
He added that Putin must stop 'his barbaric assault'. "We will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people,' Starmer said.
The coalition meeting came after Saturday's joint statement, in which Macron, Merz, Starmer, and other European Union (EU) leaders welcomed Trump's meeting with Putin, which ended without a ceasefire agreement for now.
'As President Trump said, 'there's no deal until there's a deal'. As envisioned by President Trump, the next step must now be further talks, including President Zelensky, whom he will meet soon," it said.
'No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to the EU and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation). It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force,' the statement added.
The statement came after some media reports indicated that Putin expects Ukraine to withdraw from the Donbas region, parts of which Russia has attempted to occupy during the conflict. The Financial Times reported that the Russian President told Trump he would 'freeze the conflict' if his demands were met.
Zelensky, however, has said he won't agree to give away any territory or 'land swap,' as Trump suggested.