Delegation to support Ukrainian President is integrated by Ursula Von Der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, Keir Stmerer, Alexander Stubb and Mark Rutte
The Ukrainian President,and several European leaders visit Washington on Monday (18) to discuss with A possible departure to the war in Ukraine, which could include security guarantees for Kiev, but also territorial concessions. The visit will take place after the summit meeting on Friday (15) between the president of the United States and his counterpart from Russia, in Alaska, during which a ceasefire agreement was not reached. Zelensky was not invited and, after the meeting, Trump alienated with the position defended for a long time by Russia, which excludes the need for a ceasefire before reaching a definitive peace agreement.
The Ukrainian President “can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wishes, or can keep fighting,” the Republican on Sunday night on his social truth platform has published. It also ruled out a discussion about the recovery of Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, or that Ukraine joins NATO. Zelensky, in turn, stated on his arrival in Washington on Sunday night that he wishes the end of the war with Russia “quickly and reliable.”
A request reiterated on Monday by China, which appealed to “all parts” involved in the peacetakers in Washington to reach “as quickly as possible, a fair, lasting, binding and acceptable agreement as soon as possible.” Trump and Zelensky should have a bilateral meeting before the meeting is expanded to other European leaders, according to a source of the German government.
The Zelensky Support Delegation in Washington is integrated by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen; the president of France, Emmanuel Macron; Germany’s head of government, Friedrich Merz; The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni; the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Stmerer; the president of Finland, Alexander Stubb; and NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte. The meetings should end at 10 pm GMT (19h00 Brasília), according to the German source. This will be Zelensky’s first visit to the White House since February, when Trump and his vice president JD Vance rebuked him for not showing enough gratitude for the help of the United States against the Russian invasion, which began in February 2022.
Safety guarantees
The environment should be different at the meeting on Monday. Since the meeting earlier this year, Trump has expressed more criticism of Putin and demonstrated his frustration in the face of Moscow’s repeated blockade in peace negotiations. Washington, however, did not impose additional sanctions on Moscow. In addition, the great reception to Putin in Alaska, in his first visit to the West since the invasion of Ukraine, was considered a Kremlin diplomatic victory. Hours before traveling to the United States, the Ukrainian President qualified as “historic” the American decision to offer security guarantees to his country.
Trump mentioned a security guarantee for Kiev similar to that of NATO Article 5, but outside the Atlantic Alliance, which Moscow considers an existential threat to its borders. The French president said European leaders will ask “to what extent” the United States are willing to contribute to the safety guarantees offered to Ukraine in a possible peace agreement.
Debate on the territory
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said he hopes to reach Zelensky “consensus” and that the United States could “negotiate again with the Russians to boost the peace agreement and take it to a good term.” Witkoff stated that in Alaska, Russia made “some territorial concessions” compared to five crucial Ukrainian regions in the war. A source that accompanied Saturday’s telephone conversations between the US President and the European leaders told AFP that the Russian President is “requiring Ukraine to abandon the Donbass” and therefore completely give in this territory, which includes the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.
Russia also proposes to freeze the battle in front of the regions of Kherson and Zaporizehzia (south). “There is an important debate about Donetsk and what would happen there (…). This will be detailed specifically on Monday,” said Witkoff without revealing further details. A few months after the beginning of the invasion of the Ukraine territory, Russia proclaimed the annexation of the four Ukrainian regions, although its troops do not fully control any of them.
Sanction
In Europe, there is a concern that Washington can press Ukraine to accept the conditions established by Russia. Zelensky rejected territorial concessions, but stated that he was willing to discuss the issue in the context of a trilateral summit meeting with Trump and Putin. The US president cited the possibility of the meeting, but Russia has minimized the importance. In front of battle, the Russian forces advance gradually but constant, particularly in the Donetsk region.
On Monday, a few hours before the meeting, a Russian drone attack on Kharkiv’s Ukrainian city left at least five dead, including two children, and 18 injured. Ukraine and its allies accuse Moscow of trying to gain time to get additional benefits.
*With information from AFP
