Von der Leyen, Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Meloni will accompany Zelensky to the meeting with Trump at the White House.

BarcelonaEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and several European leaders from the Coalition of the Willing will travel to Washington this Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House. This was confirmed by the German leader on Sunday, who stated on social media that she would receive the Ukrainian leader in Brussels this afternoon.

The European entourage will include French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who will attend virtually. As the various leaders announced simultaneously, the meeting will serve to "continue the work of coordination between Europe and the United States, with the goal of achieving a just and lasting peace that preserves the vital interests of Ukraine and the security of Europe."

The meeting between Trump and Zelensky, confirmed yesterday by both leaders, comes after The Alaska summit where Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the possibility of taking control of the Ukrainian region of Donbas with his American counterpart. in exchange for freezing the front in Ukraine. At this time, 70% of this region is under the occupation of Russian troopsAccording to the leaked plan, Putin would agree to abandon the front lines in Zaporizhia and Kherson in exchange for control of that region.

Furthermore, while Trump expressed his desire to obtain a ceasefire before the meeting, he later changed his mind and stated that he did not consider it necessary to agree to a truce before peace. A shift that, in practice, allows Moscow to continue to press the front with attacks. Thus, in Alaska, Trump has not only legitimized Putin and broken his semi-isolation internationally, but has also made him a generous tactical concession. Tomorrow's meeting at the White House will reveal the extent of his rapport with the Russian leader.

To coordinate for the trip to Washington, this afternoon the leaders that make up the Coalition of the Willing will hold a virtual meeting with Zelensky and Von der Leyen, who will be in Brussels. Europe, which, like Kiev, has always defended Ukraine's territorial integrity, will have to pressure Trump to ensure that Ukraine is not forced to cede territories and to obtain the United States' agreement to offer security guarantees for a lasting peace. The leaders said in a joint statement on Saturday that they are "ready to work together" on holding a trilateral summit between Ukraine, Russia, and the US, but warned that "Russia cannot veto Ukraine's path toward the EU and NATO" and that "it will be up to Ukraine" to decide.

Furthermore, European leaders will also have the mission of easing tensions to avoid a repeat of the intimidating scene Zelensky endured the last time he visited the Oval Office.

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