Trump prepares White House meeting with Zelensky, European chiefs

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders to a meeting at the White House on Monday, according to the New York Times, citing anonymous European officials.

The announcement follows Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday — their first face-to-face talks since the Ukraine conflict escalated in February 2022. Trump described the discussions as “warm,” while Putin called them “frank” and “substantive,” with both expressing cautious optimism about progress toward resolving the war.

The NYT reported that Trump intends to present a plan under which Ukraine would cede parts of the new Russian-controlled territories in Donbass, while Russia would agree to halt hostilities along the current front lines in other regions. Zelensky, however, has consistently rejected any territorial concessions to Moscow.

Earlier on Saturday, Zelensky announced on X that he would travel to Washington, with Trump confirming the visit. European leaders attending alongside him will include representatives from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Poland, and the EU, who issued a joint statement pledging support for a trilateral summit with European involvement.

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov noted that a potential three-way meeting between Putin, Trump, and Zelensky has not yet been discussed. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that Europe should “put up or shut up” and stop making demands on Washington while it negotiates with Moscow.

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