Heavy delegation today around the table with Trump: ‘A lot at stake for Ukraine and Europe’
There is a lot at stake for the European leaders who are talking to Trump today about the war in Ukraine. It is not without reason that they are with a heavy delegation: the European leaders will have to talk about Trump, but also radiate unity and show that they are right behind Zensky.
“Because this is not only about the safety of Ukraine, but also about the safety of Europe,” said French President Macron last night.
Those who travel to Washington says a lot about the importance of the meeting: European Commission President Von der Leyen, the British Prime Minister Starmer, French President Macron, the Finnish President Stubb (who get along well with Trump), the Italian Prime Minister Meloni and the German Chancellor Merz will make Zelensky. NATO Secretary-General Rutte is also there. The conversations will take place in the Dutch evening.
This is the group that has taken the lead in recent weeks within the so -called Coalition of the Willing , the cooperation of countries that are committed to peace and safety in Ukraine. After the conversation with Putin, Trump informed this group of leaders about the meeting.
Correspondent European Union Kysia Hekster:
“The delegation is particularly heavy, so there is a lot at stake. Nothing less than the future of Europe, the leaders say. That’s why they are solidarity with Zensky and with their support they prevent him from being alone during the meeting with Trump.
The previous meeting in the White House then gave rampal rigid reasons. Trump then temporarily stopped the armrest on the country. The European delegation wants to prevent something like that happening again. “
On arrival in Washington, Zelenksy thanked the US president on social media at least for the invitation. “And I hope that our shared power with America and our European friends will force Russia to real peace,” he wrote.
Macron said yesterday afternoon that the purpose of the conversation with Trump is to show that Ukraine and the European allies are one front. If Ukraine and his allies show “signs of weakness” to Russia, Europe will be powerless in future conflicts, the French president stated.
On social media, Trump said that the ball is now mainly with Zensky. “President Zensky van Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately – if he wants to – if he can continue to fight. Trump is silent about which Russian conditions Zensky should meet. He only said that the recapture of the occupied Crimea will certainly not happen.
Security guarantees
The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing always pointed to the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine yesterday. Moreover, they hope to get Trump on their side again when it comes to how the negotiations should continue.
Since his meeting with Putin,
Trump finds that peace can be spoken without a file, but Ukraine and Europe want a cease-fire to come first. Subsequently, safety guarantees for Ukraine must come and only then can territorial issues be negotiated.
Because what it seemed for the top in Alaska that the American president also wants a cease-fire to come as soon as possible, he said that this step can be skipped as far as he is concerned. After he had informed the Coalition of the Willing about the conversation, Trump wrote on social media that “everyone has determined that a direct peace agreement is the best way to put an end to the war”.
Article 5-like security guarantees
The American top diplomat Witkoff said yesterday that Trump started to think differently here, because Putin said for the first time at the top that he is willing to a number of concessions. For example, the Russian leader would have agreed that the US and European allies can offer security guarantees to Ukraine that resemble Article 5 of NATO. This means that an attack on an ally is equal to an attack on all allies.
In addition, Putin would have said that he is willing to make concessions with regard to five Ukrainian regions, although Witkoff did not explain what is meant by that. Witkoff calls it “a considerable shift”. Since the top, Putin has not said anything that shows that he is planning to make significant concessions.
Putin is said to have repeated a large number of his requirements that are unacceptable for Ukraine in Alaska. He would have that way