On that day, European leaders and Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss how to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The presence of NATO Secretary General, the European Commission President, and leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland demonstrated their support for Zelensky, fearing Trump might pressure Ukraine into accepting a peace deal favorable to Russia.
After welcoming the European leaders to the White House, Trump had a private discussion with Zelensky. Following that, they held a joint meeting with the European leaders, which NATO's Secretary General called “successful.” Although there were still differences, it appeared the European leaders had shifted Trump’s stance somewhat after several hours of talks. The central topic of discussion was America's role in securing Ukraine's future security after the conflict. European leaders and Zelensky wanted clarity on what resources Trump would use to ensure that, once a peace agreement is reached, Russia would not attack Ukraine again.
During his meeting with Zelensky, Trump expressed approval of the Ukrainian president's attire, which was more diplomatic in nature, featuring a black suit, shirt, and trousers, as opposed to his usual military outfit. “I like it,” Trump said, clearly showing his favorable attitude when welcoming Zelensky.
After the talks, Trump declared that he would not rule out the possibility of sending U.S. troops to Ukraine to maintain peace. However, this was not a solid commitment, as he stated that the specifics of "who will do what" needed further discussions with European leaders.
Following the meeting with European leaders, the issue remained unresolved. "We discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, which will be provided by several European countries in coordination with the U.S.," Trump said, without specifying what role the U.S. would play in ensuring Ukraine's security.
Despite Trump's lack of commitment, his openness to the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine could signal a major shift in his approach, according to CNN. Trump has previously advocated for keeping the U.S. out of foreign conflicts, with some of his cabinet members even supporting a reduction in U.S. involvement in Ukraine.
This move could make it easier for Zelensky to accept other elements of a potential peace deal, observers suggest.
Some European leaders, like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also sought to win Trump’s favor by presenting their goals as though they were his own ideas. They emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire and U.S. commitment to strong security guarantees for Ukraine.
Trump seemed pleased with this. However, he rejected the idea of a ceasefire and did not clarify what the U.S. would provide to bolster Ukraine's defense in any potential deal. Instead, he portrayed Putin as someone eager to end the conflict.
“I don’t think anything is too complicated. I believe now is the time for action. I’ve known President Putin for a long time, have a good relationship with him. I think he also wants to find an answer,” Trump said.
Sources indicate that Trump paused the meeting with European leaders in the Oval Office to speak with Putin for about 40 minutes on the phone.
“Russia said they would reject a ceasefire, while President Trump declared he could establish a peace deal without a ceasefire,” Macron told the press after the meeting. "We all replied that ‘we cannot negotiate a peace agreement while bombs are still being dropped.’” Trump still aims for a trilateral summit involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine to negotiate an end to the conflict. "If not, the fighting continues. If so, we have a good chance to reach our goal," Trump said.
During the meeting, French President Macron used his time to propose a four-way summit with a European leader involved.
“Because when we talk about security guarantees, we’re talking about the security of the whole European continent,” said Macron.
However, Trump did not seem to favor this idea, at least not in the short term. On Truth Social, Trump announced a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine summit is being arranged, but no date or location has been set, followed by a potential trilateral meeting including the U.S.
U.S. officials hope the summit will take place soon. German Chancellor Merz said that during a phone call with Trump, Russia agreed to meet with Zelensky within the next two weeks, although neither the White House nor the Kremlin has specifically confirmed this.
Macron described the most notable outcome of the meeting with Trump as the U.S. being willing to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. He announced, "The alliance ready to support Ukraine," established in February, now includes 30 countries, demonstrating Europe’s readiness to protect Ukraine's security.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb described the meeting as "constructive," while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there had been "real progress," resulting in tangible outcomes for security guarantees. If Trump sees Putin as an obstacle, the U.S. might increase pressure on Russia again, European leaders assessed. With Zelensky, the meeting was much friendlier than in February, when the Ukrainian leader clashed with Trump publicly before the media in the Oval Office. Zelensky exchanged maps showing the territories currently controlled by Russia.
Zelensky added that Ukraine's allies would outline the specifics of security guarantees should a peace deal with Russia be reached. This includes plans for Ukraine to purchase $90 billion in U.S. weapons, funded by European contributions.
An advisor to Zelensky said the Ukrainian president was pleased with the meeting, and the security guarantees from the U.S. and Europe were a significant outcome.
"They are very, very happy with this," the advisor told The Washington Post.