BRUSSELS: European leaders will be part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy throughout his go to to Washington on Monday (Aug 18) in search of an finish to Moscow’s invasion, after President Donald Trump dropped his push for a ceasefire following his Alaska summit with Russian chief Vladimir Putin.
Securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, greater than three years after the Kremlin ordered the invasion, had been one in every of Trump’s core calls for earlier than the summit, to which Ukraine and its European allies weren’t invited.
However after a gathering that yielded no clear breakthrough, Trump dominated out an instantaneous ceasefire in Ukraine – a transfer that would seem to favour Putin, who has lengthy argued for negotiations on a remaining peace deal.
Ukraine and its European allies have criticised it as a approach to purchase time and press Russia’s battlefield advances.
The leaders heading to Washington on Monday to attempt to bend Trump’s ear on the matter embrace German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-Normal Mark Rutte and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen.
Forward of the go to on Monday, von der Leyen mentioned on X she would welcome Zelenskyy for a gathering in Brussels on Sunday, which different European leaders would be part of by video name, earlier than accompanying the Ukrainian chief on his US journey at his “request” with “different European leaders”.
The German authorities confirmed Merz was amongst these different European leaders, and would attempt to emphasise “curiosity in a swift peace settlement in Ukraine”.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb may also be part of the journey.
