U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday hosted a landmark gathering in Washington with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders, in what many see as the most serious push yet to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The talks followed Trump’s recent meeting with Vladimir Putin, raising expectations that a framework for peace could be within reach.
Trump framed the meeting as “a step toward real peace,” telling reporters that both Zelenskyy and Putin “want to end this war, and I believe we can make it happen.”
He proposed hosting a trilateral summit involving himself, Zelenskyy, and Putin, a move that could bring the two wartime adversaries to the same table for the first time in years.
European leaders including Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, and Germany’s Friedrich Merz attended, alongside NATO and EU chiefs.
While there was broad support for stronger security guarantees for Kyiv, leaders were cautious.
“There can be no peace without a ceasefire,” one European diplomat said, signalling unease with Trump’s suggestion that talks could advance even as fighting continues.
The atmosphere was notably warmer than past encounters.
Zelenskyy, dressed more formally than usual, presented a handwritten note from his wife to Melania Trump, a gesture widely read as an attempt to reset personal relations after previous tensions.
Humanitarian issues also took centre stage, with leaders urging Moscow to release abducted Ukrainian children.
Zelenskyy used the occasion to propose a massive $100 billion U.S. arms deal, to be financed by European partners, describing it as “an investment in lasting security.”
Despite the optimism, Russia has yet to confirm its readiness to join such talks.
The coming weeks will be crucial in testing whether Trump’s diplomatic gamble– balancing European caution, Ukrainian urgency, and Russian reticence– can translate into real negotiations or remain a symbolic show of unity.
