It’s shaping up to be a decisive week for Ukraine’s future, as President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives in Washington for crucial talks with US President Donald Trump, just three days after Trump held a headline-grabbing summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The meeting on Monday, February 28, 2025, brings together not just American and Ukrainian leadership but also heavyweight European figures including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Zelensky landed in Washington late Sunday, expressing optimism that new security guarantees for Ukraine could be hammered out with help from European partners. “I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump,” he posted on social media. The stakes couldn’t be higher: Trump has made it clear he believes Zelensky “can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to,” provided Kyiv accepts some of Moscow’s conditions—a stance previewed both online and during his recent meetings.
Security Guarantees and High-Level Diplomacy
According to US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump and Putin discussed “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine during their Alaska summit last Friday, although no definitive peace deal was reached. Monday’s gathering at the White House will begin with bilateral meetings before expanding to include the full delegations from Europe. Vice President JD Vance—who previously clashed publicly with Zelensky over US wartime support—is also slated to attend.
European leaders are making it clear they’re backing Zelensky’s demands for a “just and lasting peace.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the Ukrainian leader’s resolve ahead of his own trip to Washington. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed concerns that the Europeans were there simply to prevent Trump from “bullying” Zelensky into concessions.
Pressure Mounts Ahead of Talks
Trump has been vocal about his expectations. On social media, he insisted that if Zelensky agrees to certain Russian terms—most notably ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and relinquishing claims to Crimea—the war could be ended “almost immediately.” He warned there would be “no getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE.”
The world will be watching closely as these talks unfold at the White House—a rare moment when leaders from both sides of the Atlantic are united under one roof for what could prove a pivotal turn in Europe’s most explosive conflict since World War II.
