Can a peace agreement be reached in Ukraine without ceding territory to Russia?
Mr. Zelensky, for his part, plans to bring a troop of fellow European leaders with him to the sit-down, hastily scheduled after Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin's Friday meeting in Alaska. They are expected to fight back against Russia's demand that Kyiv surrender swaths of territory to Moscow.
Mr. Trump, who once promised to broker an end to Mr. Putin's invasion of Ukraine within a day of taking office, has signalled that he wants an agreement in short order. But whether a conclusion is possible in the face of Mr. Putin's conditions and Mr. Trump's frequently changing position on the war remains unclear.
At stake is the outcome of Europe's deadliest fighting in 80 years. And at play is the once-unthinkable possibility that the U.S. might push to recognize Russian sovereignty over land that Moscow seized in an invasion.
The U.S. President sought to project optimism Sunday. 'BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!' he posted on Truth Social.
Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump's special envoy for peace missions, said the U.S. and European countries might offer Ukraine similar protection that NATO countries have under Article 5 of their collective defence pact as part of a peace agreement. Under such a scenario, the U.S. and other countries would promise to defend Ukraine if it were invaded again.
'The United States is potentially prepared to be able to give Article 5 security guarantees – but not from NATO – directly from the United States and other European countries,' Mr. Witkoff said on Fox News on Sunday.
It remains to be seen whether Ukraine would trust such a guarantee. In 1994, the country gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from the U.S., Britain and Russia, only for Russia to later invade and occupy swaths of its territory, starting with Crimea in 2014.
Mr. Witkoff said he was optimistic the Monday meeting would lead to a later trilateral gathering between Mr. Trump, Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky. He indicated that territorial concessions were on the table. 'It is for the Ukrainians to decide how they might land swap, how they might make a deal with the Russians on different territories there.'
Mr. Zelensky's squad at the meeting is expected to include British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Analysis: Truth will likely be the last casualty of war in Ukraine
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Mr. Zelensky reiterated that 'the constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible' for him 'to give up territory or trade land.'
And he poured cold water on Mr. Putin's reported demand that Kyiv cede land to Moscow that Russian troops don't even occupy, including the whole of Ukraine's Donbas industrial region. 'We need real negotiations, which means they can start where the front line is now. The contact line is the best line for talking.'
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took part in a virtual meeting with Mr. Zelensky and the European leaders on Sunday, warned in a statement that 'President Putin cannot be trusted' and any peace deal would therefore have to include 'robust and credible security guarantees' for Ukraine, along with a strong Ukrainian military.
'Current diplomatic engagement must be reinforced by continued military and economic pressure on Russia to end its aggression,' Mr. Carney said.
Before his Friday meeting with Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump repeatedly threatened to increase sanctions on Russia and said he was 'not going to be happy' if the Russian leader didn't agree to a ceasefire.
After the tête-à-tête, however, Mr. Trump changed his mind. He expressed agreement with Mr. Putin, saying it was on Mr. Zelensky to 'make a deal' with Russia, without Russia having to pause fighting.
In an interview with Fox News, Mr. Trump said 'it's really up to Zelensky to get it done' because 'Russia is a very big power, and they're not.' The U.S. President said his conversation with Mr. Putin was 'very warm' and that Mr. Putin had backed Mr. Trump's false claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said sanctions might still be on the table if there is no peace agreement. 'If this whole effort doesn't work out, then there is going to have to be additional consequences to Russia,' he said on ABC.
He defended Mr. Trump's decision not to follow through on his previous sanction threats. 'The minute you levy additional sanctions, strong additional sanctions, the talking stops,' he said.
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'A recovering American' Enlarge image (new window) Originally from New York state, Apgar-Taylor likes to tell parishioners at Riverside United Church in London that he's 'a recovering American.' Photo: CBC / Prasanjeet Choudhury Despite the obstacles, Apgar-Taylor, Rob and Lawrence remain hopeful of their future in Canada. My name is Rob, and I'm a recovering American, is how Apgar-Taylor sometimes likes to open his sermons. In the basement of their home, the reverend and his husband contemplate the photos of their children and grandchildren in a family tree painted on the wall. We miss them every day, said Robert. Both feel that returning to the United States is not an option for them. Enlarge image (new window) Apgar-Taylor and his partner Rob, left to right, say they're holding off buying a house in Canada because, not being citizens, they'd have to pay a 25 per cent foreign buyers' tax in Ontario. Photo: CBC / Prasanjeet Choudhury The year Apgar-Taylor and Rob moved to London, two of their friends were assaulted back home in separate attacks because of their sexual and gender identities. You don't realize how much you're holding your breath until you don't have to hold it anymore. That's how it feels to be in Canada, said Apgar-Taylor. With files from Andrew Lupton
