European leaders including Starmer to attend Washington meeting

A high-stakes meeting is set to take place at the White House on Monday, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, for a crucial discussion with US President Donald Trump.

The meeting aims to push back against a potential “peace plan” that would allow Russia to take further Ukrainian territory.

According to reports, Trump believes a peace deal could be negotiated if Zelenskyy agrees to give up the Donbas region, which Russian invaders have not been able to seize in over three years of fighting.

Putin reportedly demanded Ukraine withdraw from Donbas, comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as a condition for ending the war, but offered Trump a freeze along the remaining frontline.

The potential cession of Ukrainian territory has sparked concerns among European leaders and Ukraine.

Zelenskyy emphasized that “a real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.”

He stressed that killings must stop as soon as possible, and the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against Ukrainian port infrastructure.

Trump’s support for ceding Ukraine’s Donbas region, rich in mineral resources, to Russia represents a breach with Ukraine and European allies opposing such a deal.

According to Reuters, Russia is demanding 6,600 sq km of Donbas while offering to withdraw from 440 sq km in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

As part of a potential deal, the US is reportedly ready to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine.

Merz said on Saturday that the US would provide security guarantees, but the details remain unclear. European leaders have also emphasized the importance of maintaining pressure on sanctions against Russia.

Zelenskyy has made it clear that he will not accept any concessions that are unacceptable to Ukrainians.

“The positions are clear,” he said. “A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.” He added that going directly to a peace agreement without a ceasefire first “complicates the situation.”

European leaders, including Macron, Merz, and Starmer, are set to discuss the issues with Zelenskyy via a video call before his meeting with Trump.

A joint statement issued by European leaders said they were “ready to work with US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support” but emphasized that “it will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force.”

The outcome of the meeting remains uncertain, with concerns that Trump’s approach may give Moscow an upper hand in talks.

Former British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace described Trump’s apparent endorsement of Putin’s territorial demands as “appeasement,” saying it “may save lives in the short term but would probably put us at greater risk” in the long term.