The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will lead a teleconference on Sunday with countries in the “coalition of the willing”—those committed to providing troops and support to Ukraine post-war, according to a European official.
Ahead of the summit, Trump stated his support for some American involvement in providing security guarantees—assurances or support from Washington to deter future Russian aggression after a peace deal is reached. Nordic and Baltic leaders welcomed these commitments following Trump’s conversation with European officials late Friday.
Despite increased consultation with Europe before and after the summit with Putin, frequent contact hasn’t produced concrete results. European officials are relieved Trump did not strike a deal with Putin but are disappointed that the potential for significant secondary tariffs against nations purchasing Russian oil was postponed.
“They aim to influence the negotiation process as much as possible because they know Trump prefers this approach, and they don’t want to leave the initiative to Putin,” said Giuseppe Spatafora, a former NATO official and current research analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies. “Europeans communicate with Trump much more often than in the first 100 days, which is an improvement. They have influence, but it’s limited.”
Zelenskyy’s last Oval Office visit in February was derailed when Vice President JD Vance and Trump criticized him for insufficient gratitude for American support and his perceived weak diplomatic position. Zelenskyy’s choice of attire—black polo, pants, and boots instead of a suit—further soured the meeting.
However, Trump and Zelenskyy have improved their relations in recent meetings, as Kyiv’s allies work to mend the relationship amidst Trump’s growing frustration with Putin.
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