European Leaders To Join Zelenskyy For Trump Talks After White House Spat; EU, NATO, Macron To Show United Front

<p>European and NATO leaders confirmed on Sunday that they will travel with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington for critical discussions with US President Donald Trump, a move seen as a show of solidarity with Kyiv after Trump&rsquo;s exclusive summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.</p>
<p>One after another, European leaders announced plans to be present alongside Zelenskyy when he heads to the White House on Monday. The coordinated show of support comes months after a tense February meeting where Trump lashed out at the Ukrainian president during a heated exchange in the Oval Office.</p>
<p>According to news agency AP, retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand, who previously led France&rsquo;s military mission at the United Nations, told reporters over the phone: &ldquo;The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr. Zelenskyy to the hilt. It&rsquo;s a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump.&rdquo;</p>
<h3><strong>High-Profile European Representation</strong></h3>
<p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on X that she will join the talks, noting it was &ldquo;at the request of President Zelenskyy.&rdquo; NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte&rsquo;s press office also confirmed his participation.</p>
<p>French President Emmanuel Macron&rsquo;s office stated that he will travel to Washington &ldquo;at the side of President Zelenskyy,&rdquo; though it did not specify whether he would be present during the actual discussions with Trump, as per AP. Similarly, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz&rsquo;s office confirmed he would be part of the European delegation, without clarifying his role inside the talks.</p>
<h3><strong>Europe Pushes for a Voice in Ukraine Peace Efforts</strong></h3>
<p>The decision to travel as a group underlined European leaders&rsquo; determination to assert their influence in Trump&rsquo;s attempts at peace-making with Russia. Their move comes on the heels of Trump&rsquo;s Friday summit with Putin in which Zelenskyy was notably excluded, fuelling concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that Ukraine could be pressured into a deal dictated by Washington and Moscow.</p>