Monday’s White House meeting will be an opportunity for Trump to pass along the results of his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
“It’s important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, and therefore for all of Europe,” Zelenskyy said on X.
The night before the meeting, however, Trump seemed to put the onus on Zelenskyy to agree to concessions and suggested that Ukraine could not regain Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, setting off an armed conflict that led to its broader 2022 invasion.
"President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight," he wrote Sunday night on social media. “Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
Zelenskyy appeared to respond with his own post late Sunday, saying, “We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably.” He went on to say that “peace must be lasting,” not as it was after Russia seized Crimea and part of the Donbas in eastern Ukraine eight years ago, and “Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack.”
The sitdown in Alaska yielded the possible contours for stopping the war in Ukraine, though it was unclear whether the terms discussed would ultimately be acceptable to Zelenskyy or Putin.
Upon arrival in Washington, Zelenskyy said in another social media post: “We all equally want to end this war quickly and reliably. And the peace must be lasting."
He expressed hope that together with the U.S. and European countries Ukraine will be able to force Russia to “true peace.”
Planning to join Zelenskyy in America's capital are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
On the table for discussion are possible NATO-like security guarantees that Ukraine would need for any peace with Russia to be durable. Putin opposes Ukraine joining NATO outright, yet Trump's team claims the Russian leader is open to allies agreeing to defend Ukraine if it comes under attack.
Trump briefed Zelenskyy and European allies shortly after the Putin meeting.
“BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA,” Trump posted Sunday on social media. The president also bemoaned media coverage of his summit with Putin, saying on Truth Social: "I had a great meeting in Alaska."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that a ceasefire was still possible but that “the best way to end this conflict is through a full peace deal."
