Trump appears to be more focused on his personal dealings with Ukraine rather than leading a coalition of willing nations.
Virtual Ukraine Meeting: European Leaders and US President to Discuss Ukraine's Situation and Security
A virtual meeting organised by Ukraine is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, bringing together European heads of state, the President of the United States, and representatives from the European Union and NATO. The meeting aims to ensure that President Donald Trump fully understands the stakes for Europe and Ukraine amid the ongoing war, in anticipation of his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The meeting will consist of three sessions. The first session will be a video conference with several European heads of state, the President of the EU Commission, the President of the EU Council, the NATO Secretary General, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This session will be chaired by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The main session of the meeting will follow, with President Trump, President Zelenskyy, and the European leaders in attendance. This session will focus on the current situation in Ukraine and the importance of the discussions for Europe and Ukraine.
The third and final session of the meeting will be in the format of the "Coalition of the Willing". This session, scheduled for around 16:30 Central European Time (CET), will be chaired by Chancellor Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The aim of this session is to discuss robust security guarantees for Ukraine, peace proposals, and coordinated military and diplomatic strategies.
It has been reported that the "Coalition of the Willing" round seeks to coordinate further support for Ukraine’s security, including discussions on guarantees similar to NATO's collective defense clause (Article 5), while also addressing the political and military aspects of a potential peace deal. President Trump has expressed a willingness to support Ukraine primarily through air power and diplomatic pressure, while European partners like France, Germany, and the UK consider sending boots on the ground. Coordinated discussions among military leaders from these coalition countries are part of ongoing efforts to prepare the mechanics of a peace settlement.
President Trump is expected to participate in the main session of the virtual Ukraine meeting, but he is not expected to participate in the "Coalition of the Willing" round. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy is among the participants in the main session.
The virtual meeting is a significant effort by European leaders and President Trump to balance peace negotiations with security assurances, while managing differing views on the extent of military involvement. This agenda reflects the ongoing commitment of these leaders to support Ukraine and find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
[1] The Guardian
[2] Reuters
[4] Politico
[5] BBC News
- The main session of the virtual Ukraine meeting, which President Trump and President Zelenskyy will attend, will focus on the current policy-and-legislation and politics concerning Ukraine's situation and security.
- The third session of the meeting, chaired by Chancellor Merz, Macron, and Starmer, will discuss policy-and-legislation matters, including robust security guarantees for Ukraine, peace proposals, and coordinated military and diplomatic strategies, which are general-news topics of interest to The Guardian, Reuters, Politico, and BBC News.
