Ukrainian President meets U.S. President as Trump pushes breakthrough plan for ending conflict; NATO chief credits him with bringing Russia back to the table.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House on Monday for talks with U.S. President
Donald Trump, joined by leaders and senior officials from France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Commission, and NATO.
The discussions followed Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he pressed for a land-swap deal designed to end the ongoing war.
Trump presented the proposal directly to Zelenskyy, urging serious consideration as part of efforts to reach a settlement.
Zelenskyy expressed reservations, citing constitutional restrictions and opposition within Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised Trump’s role, stating that the U.S. President was instrumental in convincing Putin to re-engage in talks.
According to Rutte, Trump’s diplomatic push had broken a longstanding deadlock, opening space for negotiations that had previously been blocked.
The meeting also addressed wider security guarantees for Ukraine, with Trump raising the prospect of NATO-style protections short of full membership.
European leaders present emphasized continued support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and expressed openness to a structured framework that could secure peace.
Talks at the White House came as Russia continued missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, underscoring the urgency of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Trump reaffirmed his position that European states should carry a greater share of collective defense spending, noting recent commitments by NATO members to increase budgets in line with U.S. levels.
A possible trilateral summit involving Trump, Zelenskyy, and Putin was raised as a next step in the initiative.