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Zelenskyy Brings European Leaders to Washington for Crucial Meeting With Trump
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
On August 18, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House, joined by several European leaders and NATO’s Secretary General.
According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, she will travel with Zelenskyy to Washington following talks in Brussels.
In a statement posted on X, von der Leyen said she had met with Zelenskyy on August 17 in the Belgian capital, where they participated in a videoconference of the “Coalition of the Willing.”
She confirmed that, at Zelenskyy’s request, she will attend the discussions with Trump.
This afternoon, I will welcome @ZelenskyyUa in Brussels.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 17, 2025
Together, we will participate in the Coalition of Willing VTC.
At the request of President Zelenskyy, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow.
NATO later announced that Secretary General Mark Rutte will also be present. The Alliance confirmed his participation in the talks scheduled for August 18, noting that he will join Trump, Zelenskyy, and European leaders at the White House.
Reports by AP indicate that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb will take part in the meeting. German media Bild added that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also expected to attend.
The gathering follows the August 15 US-Russia summit, during which prospects for ending the war in Ukraine were discussed. Zelenskyy has said his talks with Trump will focus on “all the details of ending the killings and ending the war.”
Earlier, on August 16, Trump and Zelenskyy held a phone call lasting over an hour following Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska. According to Zelenskyy, the two discussed prospects for peace, with Trump proposing a trilateral format involving the US, Ukraine, and Russia.
Zelenskyy confirmed that details would be addressed during his upcoming visit to Washington and emphasized the importance of Europe’s involvement in providing security guarantees.
