Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is actively working with European leaders to address the shifting dynamics in U.S. foreign policy following recent discussions between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following a separate meeting in the Oval Office, Zelenskyy expressed his concern over Trump’s change in position. It appears to bend farther in the direction of the Kremlin, making resolution of the brutal and bloody war in Ukraine more difficult.
Zelenskyy is set to meet with European leaders in Washington this coming Monday. This gathering will set in motion a bilateral exchange of technical information concerning security guarantees and territorial integrity. We’ll talk about how we can keep supporting Ukraine as it fights Russian aggression. A much broader coalition of more than 30 countries are supporting the Ukrainian president. Yet they are truly united in their determination to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty.
During his discussions with Trump, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for security guarantees that would come into play should Russia invade Ukraine again after a potential peace agreement. He pointed out that Russia has repeatedly rebuffed calls for a ceasefire and remains uncommitted to halting its military actions, stating, “Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation.”
No one wants to see the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, and Zelenskyy’s frustration was apparent on just that count. He explained how this novel approach from Washington could undermine vigorously sought steps to bring an end to hostilities. Natalya Lypei, a member of Kyiv’s activist community expressed her concern. She wonders in disbelief that the U.S. would ever roll out a red carpet for Putin. “I was hoping that the U.S. wouldn’t roll out the red carpet to the enemy,” she remarked.
As Zelenskyy gets ready for his meetings with European leaders, his team have been talking to Trump and Zeldin about the potential of offering Ukraine something resembling NATO’s security guarantees in return for peace. A source familiar with the discussions confirmed that “European and American security guarantees were discussed.” It was noted that “U.S. troops on the ground was not discussed or entertained by [Trump].”
Those subsequent discussions are likely to be key in addressing the gauntlet thrown down by Trump’s last-minute dramatic policy reversal. That’s why Zelenskyy is continuing to pound the pavement in search of European support for Ukraine. He’s juggling Ukraine’s urgent security needs—all while deftly playing the U.S. against its European allies.