Talks at the White House on Monday between U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders ended on a markedly different note from February’s tense encounter. Both leaders appeared relaxed, smiling for cameras, while discussions pointed to progress toward ending the war with Russia.
Trump announced plans for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy, to be followed by a three-way summit that he would join. He also declared that security guarantees for Ukraine would be “provided” by European nations “in coordination with the U.S.,” a move hailed by Zelenskyy as a “major step forward.”
Kyiv’s leader later revealed that the guarantees would include a large-scale purchase of American weapons, with European financing. He said the agreement would be finalized “within the next week to 10 days.”
Details remain uncertain. Trump emphasized that Europe would carry most of the responsibility but assured that Washington would play a role to make it “very secure.” French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the first priority was building a strong Ukrainian military, backed by defense systems and higher standards. He also pointed to potential “reassurance forces” from allies such as Britain, France, Germany and Turkey to signal that Ukraine’s security is also Europe’s concern.
Experts welcomed signs of cautious progress but warned of major hurdles. Jaroslava Barbieri of Chatham House noted unresolved questions about troop deployments, commitments from allies and the unchanged demands from Moscow.
Some European officials voiced frustration over the bloc’s limited influence. Lithuania’s former foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said Europe seemed unable to create leverage, instead appearing to defer to Washington.
Uncertainty also lingers over Moscow’s willingness to engage. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed Trump and Putin had discussed the idea of elevating talks but made no firm commitments. Analysts cautioned that any summit risks following Russia’s terms without a ceasefire in place, with Putin potentially shifting blame onto Zelenskyy if negotiations fail.
For now, Monday’s outcome signaled momentum but also underscored the fragile path ahead toward any lasting settlement.
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