US President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday for a summit on the future of Ukraine. The two leaders shook hands outside the White House, with Trump placing his hand on Zelensky's shoulder and leading him into the Oval Office. Trump called it"an honor" to receive Zelensky. Zelensky thanked Trump for his efforts to"end the killing."
Trump plans to first hold a meeting with the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office. The White House says it is planning a larger meeting with leading European politicians in addition to this one-on-one meeting.
More Europeans in Washington
Before Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb had already arrived at the White House.
After his meeting on Friday with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which brought him back to the world stage after a long period of isolation in the West, Trump is now receiving Zelensky, who is accompanied by European heads of government and top politicians.
Trump considers returning Crimea to Ukraine unrealistic
The US president is pursuing a plan to bring Putin and Zelenskyy directly to the table. Trump's meeting with the Ukrainian president could—if all goes well—be the decisive step toward that goal. The goal is to bring an end to Russia's war of aggression and to stop the killing. Trump sees himself as a mediator.
Shortly before the meeting, Trump had put pressure on his counterpart from Kyiv. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump did not address Putin as an aggressor, but wrote:"Ukrainian President Zelensky can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants, or he can keep fighting."
In the same breath, the Republican also declared the hoped-for NATO accession of Ukraine and the return of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, unrealistic."Some things never change!!!" he wrote. He pointed out that then-US President Barack Obama had failed to prevent the annexation of Crimea in 2014. He added in capital letters:"NO NATO ACCESSION FOR UKRAINE." The Russian army launched new airstrikes on Ukraine overnight.
Reminder of a scandal
The fact that Trump and Zelensky are now meeting again in the Oval Office brings back memories of an unprecedented scandal in February. The US President and his Vice President, JD Vance, rebuked Zelensky in front of live cameras, prompting him to leave Washington early.
After that, there was a renewed rapprochement. A photo of Trump and Zelenskyy became known, showing them speaking to each other in April at the Vatican on the sidelines of the Pope's funeral.
