-
By:
BBC
-
Translated by: Flutura Gashi-Mehmeti
- August 18, 2025 15:30
- Share to:
Monday night is expected to be a day unlike any other at the White House, as top European leaders make a rare collective visit for crucial talks on Ukraine.
What was billed as a meeting between two presidents, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, has now turned into more of a summit.
Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Union and NATO have crossed the Atlantic to have their say on how the three-year war with Russia should end and on what terms.
It is a reflection of how high the risks are and the growing European concerns that the US has changed its stance, to one less favorable to Ukraine.
But what does each side want from these talks?
also
Highlights from Trump's discussion with Zelensky and the Europeans
US: A deal, any deal
Trump's campaign promise was that he would resolve this conflict on his first day in office, but six months later the progress he desires still does not exist.
The terms of each deal have seemed less important to Trump than the deal itself, so the terms have changed over time.
Since meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, Trump appears to have abandoned his criticism of Moscow and the threat of sanctions, and decided to increase the pressure on Zelensky.
On Sunday evening, he warned the Ukrainian president that he must give up hopes of NATO membership and will have to give up Crimea, which Putin illegally annexed in 2014.
Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, has said Washington will offer Europe security guarantees aimed at deterring further Russian aggression. But the details remain unclear.
So far, the US has resisted European demands that it commit to Ukraine's future security. All eyes will be on the White House later to see if that has really changed.
Ukraine: Avoiding the surrender of territory
Zelensky finds himself in the unenviable position of being forced to stand his ground in the face of an increasingly impatient Donald Trump, who appears to have been influenced by Putin and who has already accused Zelensky of obstructing peace.
Trump will probably tell Zelensky that he must agree to give up land. This will be extremely difficult for the Ukrainian president to give up, as it would mean withdrawing from Donetsk and Luhansk, regions for which thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have fought and died since 2022.
This would also allow Russia to end up controlling large swaths of territory that it could later use as a launching point for further aggression.
So Zelensky cannot accept land concessions without strong security guarantees that would come into effect if Russia attacks again. Those could be offered by NATO, but Trump has made it clear that Ukraine will not join the alliance.
also
Trump: We speak less often with Putin, wants to end the war quickly
The details of any alternative guarantees have probably not yet been worked out, but without them it will be difficult for Zelensky to make any decisions.
Ukraine is also concerned that Trump appears to have shifted from wanting a ceasefire to pushing for a full peace deal. That could take an incredibly long time, while allowing for continued Russian attacks, civilian deaths, and losses on the front lines.
Europe: A US commitment to Ukraine's security
European leaders will try to push Trump to define in more detail what US security guarantees for Ukraine might look like.
The ambiguity of US statements on this issue is alarming to Europeans, who believe that protection from possible future attacks by Russia will have to come from a credible American commitment.
There is also nervousness about the idea that the US might insist that Ukraine cede territory to Russia. The European continent has a long history of bloody wars, and leaders want to avoid a scenario in which the borders of a sovereign country are forcibly redrawn.
These serious concerns explain the unprecedented decision for such a large contingent of leaders to visit the White House at the last minute.
Last week, a virtual US-EU meeting ahead of the Alaska summit appeared to strengthen Trump's criticism of Russia. Now that he appears to be swinging back to Moscow's side, European leaders will be trying to impress upon him that their concerns about the continent's long-term security have not changed.
Russia: More Ukrainian land
There will be no Russian representative in the White House today. That may not matter: Putin seems to have impressed Trump enough last week that Moscow can be confident that its point of view will be adequately represented.
Trump has already stated that Ukraine will not join NATO, and Russia wants that commitment to be reiterated and ratified. It also wants full control over Donbas, which would mean Kiev giving up the territory it still holds in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
also
Kremlin backs Trump after his statement on Zelensky
Perhaps most importantly, Moscow has managed to impress on Trump that it is now up to Zelensky to make a deal to end the war - while knowing full well that he cannot agree to give up territory immediately.
A win for Russia would be for this friction to lead to Trump being removed from the negotiating table forever and leaving Ukraine and the Europeans to fend for themselves.
