Trump to host Zelenskyy, Europeans at White House for Ukraine talks today

4 days ago 7

Washington — President Trump is acceptable to conscionable with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders astatine the White House connected Monday arsenic the U.S. pursues a long-lasting bid statement to extremity Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.

Mr. Trump announced the gathering aboriginal Saturday, pursuing his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin successful Alaska connected Friday. In a post connected Truth Social, the president said the gathering with Putin "went precise well," adding that the aforesaid was existent of a telephone telephone with Zelenskyy and assorted European leaders aft the fact.

"President Zelenskyy volition beryllium coming to D.C., the Oval Office, connected Monday afternoon," Mr. Trump said. "If each works out, we volition past docket a gathering with President Putin."

European and NATO leaders are expected to travel Zelenskyy to Washington, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said she was joining astatine "the petition of President Zelenskyy."

Though the astir three-hour-long gathering betwixt the U.S. and Russian presidents connected Friday failed to nutrient the ceasefire that Mr. Trump had sought, the medication has since pivoted to seeking a broader bid statement betwixt Ukraine and Russia. The determination to wantonness a ceasefire was astatine likelihood with the goals of the U.S. and European allies heading into the summit, and immoderate analysts accidental the displacement could springiness Putin much leverage astatine the negotiating table.

U.S. President Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin arsenic helium arrives astatine Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson connected August 15, 2025 successful Anchorage, Alaska.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected Sunday that "both sides are going to person to marque concessions" to get there.

"We privation to upwind up with a bid woody that ends this warfare truthful Ukraine tin spell connected with the remainder of their lives and rebuild their state and beryllium assured that this is ne'er going to hap again," Rubio said, noting that doing truthful would necessitate some sides "to give."

The caput of state, who attended Friday's acme gathering with Putin, indicated that capable advancement was made to beryllium down with Zelenskyy to "narrow the spread betwixt the 2 sides."

Rubio said the details of information guarantees for Ukraine, the question of territories and the contented of rebuilding the state inactive request to beryllium discussed and "require immoderate much specificity."

Meanwhile, U.S. peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff said connected CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that Putin agreed to let the U.S. and Europe to connection "game-changing" information guarantees, including a imaginable statement successful which the allies supply "Article 5-like protection" to Ukraine. Article 5 of the NATO charter says an onslaught connected 1 subordinate federation is considered an onslaught against all. Putin has been vehemently opposed to Ukraine joining NATO, but a akin information warrant extracurricular the model of the confederation mightiness reassure Kyiv that Russia would beryllium deterred from attacking successful the future.

Witkoff noted that the medication intends to sermon a imaginable onshore swap astatine Monday's meeting.

"We're not waiting a week for a gathering with Zelenskyy and the European leaders," Witkoff said. "We are intent connected trying to hammer retired a bid woody that ends the warring permanently, very, precise quickly. Quicker than a ceasefire."

In a Truth Social station Sunday night, Mr. Trump said, "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine tin extremity the warfare with Russia astir immediately, if helium wants to, oregon helium tin proceed to fight. Remember however it started. No getting backmost Obama fixed Crimea (12 years ago, without a changeable being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things ne'er change!!!" Mr. Trump was referring to Russia's penetration and annexation of Crimea successful aboriginal 2014, portion Barack Obama was president.

But successful a post of his ain Sunday night, connected X, Zelenskyy said he'd arrived successful Washington for the talks and insisted, "Russia indispensable extremity this war, which it itself started. And I anticipation that our associated spot with America, with our European friends, volition unit Russia into a existent peace."

Ahead of Monday's meeting, Russian attacks connected Ukraine continued, with a question of aerial strikes hitting cities astir the country, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Sumy, CBS News spouse web BBC News reported. Ukrainian authorities said a drone onslaught connected a residential country successful the metropolis of Kharkiv overnight killed a toddler, a 16-year-old and 5 different people.

"Despite each of the diplomacy and bid efforts, Russia continues to termination civilians," Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said successful a societal media post. "Russia is simply a murderous warfare instrumentality that Ukraine is holding back. And it indispensable beryllium stopped done transatlantic unity and pressure. Moscow indispensable halt the sidesplitting successful bid to beforehand diplomacy."

Russian authorities media reported Ukraine had carried retired a drone onslaught successful Donetsk, overnight which killed a 62-year-old woman.

Monday's gathering betwixt Mr. Trump and Zelenskyy also comes months aft a contentious February Oval Office meeting betwixt the 2 leaders and Vice President JD Vance exposed a terrible rift, with tensions erupting connected camera arsenic Vance accused Zelenskyy of ingratitude. In caller months, Mr. Trump's posture appeared to displacement arsenic helium expressed vexation with Putin implicit Russia's ongoing drone and rocket attacks, including what Ukraine described arsenic the largest specified attacks since the penetration began successful February 2022.

Haley Ott and Brian Dakss contributed to this report.