U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday in talks aimed at exploring a possible deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. NATO and European leaders are also in Washington to show united support for Kyiv.
The summit follows Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week and comes six months after a tense Oval Office encounter between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance.
Military analysts say Russia controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory and is demanding the rest of the Donetsk region, an area rich in agriculture and industry, in exchange for halting its offensive.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived at the White House along with the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Finland. Their presence underscores European efforts to bolster Ukraine while preventing wider instability.
Zelenskyy, posting from Washington, condemned overnight Russian strikes on Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and Odesa, accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians. He said talks would focus on achieving “dignified peace and true security.”
Vice President Vance, who clashed with Zelenskyy during a heated meeting earlier this year, is also expected to attend.
With Ukraine’s allies gathered in Washington, the outcome of the talks may determine whether diplomatic pressure can shift the war’s trajectory or if Russia’s battlefield momentum will continue to drive events.
🇺🇸 One after another, they file through the White House gates
🇪🇺NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen , 🇬🇧UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer , and
🇮🇹Italy’s Giorgia Melonithe stage thick with power, the air heavy with… pic.twitter.com/FrKTvXPYC4
— WashingtonAmerica.Net (@WADailyNews) August 18, 2025
