Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reached Washington DC on Sunday to meet US President Donald Trump. The visit comes at a time when both leaders are expected to discuss ways to end the ongoing war with Russia. The meeting is seen as important because Trump had only recently held a high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, but no ceasefire or peace deal was announced there.

In his message on X, Zelensky said, “I have already arrived in Washington; tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our eastern part of Donbas, and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so-called ‘security guarantees’ in 1994, but they didn't work.”

He added, “Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence. Now, our soldiers have successes in the Donetsk and Sumy regions. I am confident that we will defend Ukraine and effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace. Thank you!”

High-level meetings with Trump and European leaders

According to the White House schedule, the bilateral meeting between Trump and Zelensky will take place on Monday at 1.15 pm local time (1715 GMT) (10.45 pm IST). Later at 3 pm, Trump will also participate in a larger meeting with European leaders who have come to Washington to discuss the same issue.

European leaders expected to join include UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to a European government source, Zelensky will first meet Trump privately and then join the multilateral talks.

The Trump administration has also shown willingness to offer Ukraine new security guarantees. This is being welcomed by both Kyiv and European capitals, especially after years of doubts about Western support.

Trump’s earlier summit with Putin in Alaska ended without a breakthrough, but Trump had called it “extremely productive” with “many points” agreed. He added, “We are not there yet, but we have made progress. There is no deal until there's a deal.”

Zelensky’s return to the Oval Office also carries weight because of what happened earlier this year. On February 28, a dramatic meeting between Trump and Zelensky ended in open confrontation on live television. Trump, joined by Vice President JD Vance, accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for US aid and pressed him to move faster on peace talks with Russia.

Vance had said Zelensky was being “disrespectful” and lacked gratitude for Trump’s diplomacy. Zelensky defended himself, warning that Putin could not be trusted because of repeated violations of past deals. When he argued that “while the United States was currently distant from the conflict, you will feel it in the future if Putin were appeased,” Trump became visibly angry.

The clash created doubts about the future of US support for Ukraine and showed how difficult the relationship had become compared to the earlier Biden administration. Still, Zelensky’s fresh visit and the backing of European leaders may help reset the tone as all sides push for peace.

For now, Ukraine hopes to secure stronger guarantees, while Trump will try to bring both Ukraine and Russia closer to an agreement. Whether this visit marks a turning point remains to be seen, but both leaders have signalled that ending the war quickly is their top goal.

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