U.S. President Donald Trump has said Washington will help “co-ordinate” European security guarantees for Ukraine if a peace agreement with Russia can be reached, while pushing for a direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s Position on Security Guarantees
After a day of intensive talks in Washington on Monday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that European nations would provide security assurances to Ukraine “with a co-ordination with the United States of America.” He stopped short of committing American military protection directly to Kyiv.
During a joint appearance with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, Trump said the U.S. would be “involved” in supporting Ukraine but emphasized that Europe should bear the primary responsibility. Zelenskyy later described security guarantees as a “key issue” and said work was under way with allies to define their “concrete content.”
Push for a Putin-Zelenskyy Meeting
Trump reiterated his desire to broker talks between Zelenskyy and Putin, though the Kremlin has not confirmed any plans for such a summit. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who attended the White House meetings, suggested a bilateral session between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders could take place within two weeks, potentially followed by a trilateral summit involving Trump.
However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cautioned that any high-level summit would require “extremely careful” preparation. Despite this, European Commission officials and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed signs that Moscow might be willing to consider direct talks.
Disagreements Over Territorial Concessions
The Washington meetings did not resolve one of the most contentious issues: Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede additional land in return for a frozen frontline. European officials said the topic of territorial concessions was not discussed in the Oval Office. Trump himself remarked that the matter was “for Ukraine” to decide, distancing himself from Moscow’s proposals.
French President Emmanuel Macron pressed Trump on whether the U.S. would impose additional sanctions if Russia refused to engage constructively, but Trump reportedly preferred to wait until further talks with Putin took place.
European Leaders Rally in Washington
The White House gathering drew the largest number of European leaders since last year’s NATO summit, with many flying to Washington on short notice. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte hailed Trump’s willingness to explore security guarantees for Kyiv as a “breakthrough.”
The meetings marked a notable shift from February, when Trump and his team harshly criticized Zelenskyy in an earlier Oval Office encounter. This time, the atmosphere was described as far more cordial, with European leaders offering praise in an apparent effort to improve the tone of discussions.
Zelenskyy’s delegation also presented Trump with a proposal to purchase $100bn worth of U.S. weapons, aiming to win American backing for Ukraine’s defense. Trump said Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff would take the lead in arranging a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting.
Outlook
The more than six-hour discussions reflected renewed urgency among Kyiv and its European allies to secure U.S. support after Trump’s recent Alaska summit with Putin failed to produce a ceasefire. While progress was made on the issue of security guarantees, significant uncertainty remains over Russia’s willingness to engage and the potential conditions attached to any peace settlement.
