European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on Sunday that she will attend the scheduled White House meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump on Monday. The meeting, which is taking place in the aftermath of the Trump-Putin Alaska summit, could shape the next phase of peace efforts in Ukraine.
In a post on X, von der Leyen said she will be present “at the request of President Zelenskyy, alongside President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finland President Alexander Stubb are also likely to attend the crucial meeting, though final confirmations are still awaited, according to a CNN report published Sunday.
Nearly an hour after the European bloc chief’s confirmation, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also confirmed his attendance at the high-stakes White House talks.
Additionally, German chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Finland President Alexander Stubb will also be heading to the US to partake Zelenskyy-Trump meeting Monday, CNN reported.
Zelenskyy Wary of Russia’s Commitment to Peace
Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy voiced some serious concerns about Russia’s intentions, writing in a post on X, “We see that Russia is rejecting numerous demands for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killings. This complicates the situation.”
“If they do not have the will to implement a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort for Russia to have the will to implement much more, namely peaceful living with its neighbours for decades,” the Ukrainian President wrote.
He also thanked the White House for the invitation and confirmed that discussions with allies will continue throughout the weekend.
Europe Pushes for Security Guarantees
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stressed that any peace agreement must include robust protections for Ukraine. “Europe stands firmly by Ukraine’s side, no matter what Putin plans,” Wadephul wrote on X, adding, “No negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
A day before, a European official told CNN that leaders are discussing security guarantees for Ukraine that may mirror NATO’s Article 5, though without official involvement of the organisation.
Nordic Countries Insist on Ceasefire First
Meanwhile, the Nordic-Baltic Eight — a regional co-operation format including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden — released a statement demanding Russia stop its attacks and return abducted Ukrainian children, emphasising that a ceasefire must come before any peace agreement while also insisting that “Putin cannot be trusted.”
Zelenskyy backed their concerns, noting, “Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing.”
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