LONDON — Three goals are topping the agenda as several European leaders join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet U.S. leader Donald Trump in Washington D.C.
Friday’s Alaska summit raised concerns in Europe that Trump might have softened his stance toward potential sanctions on Russia, and is now pushing for a permanent peace deal in Ukraine instead of an initial ceasefire — an approach more aligned with Moscow’s position.
EU officials still recall Zelenskyy’s incendiary appearance in the Oval office in February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized the Ukrainian leader in front of TV cameras for not being thankful enough for U.S. support throughout the war.
This time around, EU leaders are traveling to the United States on Monday looking to bring Washington on the side of Ukraine. The European cohort includes heads of state that are close to Trump, such as Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
“The objective is mainly to support Zelenskyy,” a senior EU diplomat, who did not want to be named due to the sensitivity of the topic, told CNBC on Sunday. “The idea is to make sure [Trump] has the same objectives as Europe.”
