Historic White House Meeting Brings European Leaders Back to Negotiating Table
In a significant diplomatic development, European leaders have reasserted their role in Ukraine peace negotiations following their exclusion from last week's high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The White House meeting on Monday brought together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, key European leaders, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to coordinate a unified approach to ending Russia's war in Ukraine.
Diplomatic Momentum Builds
The meeting marked a crucial turning point after European leaders were sidelined during the Alaska summit, which many criticized for appearing to favor Russian interests. President Trump announced that he had spoken with Putin on Monday and was arranging a potential meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders—their first since 2019. "After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself," Trump stated on Truth Social.
European Council President António Costa welcomed the developments, noting that "diplomatic activity is accelerating and there is growing momentum around providing Ukraine with security guarantees, including the agreement of the United States President Trump to participate in this effort."
Security Guarances Take Center Stage
A major breakthrough emerged as the US agreed to help European allies provide security guarantees for Ukraine in the event a peace deal is signed. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that discussions are underway regarding security guarantees similar to those provided to NATO member states, though Trump ruled out deploying US troops on the ground.
The negotiations come amid ongoing military operations, with Russia launching a major overnight attack on Ukraine with drones and missiles on Monday, while Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery in a drone attack.
European Unity and Divisions
European capitals, wary of being sidelined, have been pushing to ensure their views—and Kyiv's—are not excluded from the US-Russia dialogue that could shape Europe's long-term security. Most European leaders have urged an immediate ceasefire as a first step toward peace, demanded binding security guarantees for Ukraine, and warned Trump against trusting Putin's assurances.
However, not all European leaders are aligned. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico praised the Trump-Putin meeting as launching "the normalisation of relations between the US and Russia," while Hungary remained a notable critical voice, refusing to sign a recent EU letter supporting Trump's peace initiative.
Path Forward
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Trump's push for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin leads to real progress or entrenches existing divisions. The format, location, and agenda remain unresolved, with Ukraine insisting it will not concede sovereign territory and Putin determined to secure recognition of Russia's territorial gains.
For Europe, the challenge is to stay relevant in a process increasingly shaped by Washington and Moscow. EU officials are pushing for security guarantees that go beyond words, while NATO allies remain wary that Trump could push Kyiv into a deal favorable to Moscow to claim a foreign policy victory.