On August 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make his second visit to the White House this year, in an effort to shift the unfavorable momentum for Kyiv following the Trump–Putin summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15.
Unlike his February visit, this time Zelensky will not be alone. He will be joined by a powerful group of European leaders: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
This “dream team” of allies brings economic, political, and military weight to the table, as well as long-standing ties with President Trump. Analysts say Macron and Merz will represent the Franco-German axis of the EU, while von der Leyen embodies the collective economic strength of the bloc. Just three weeks earlier, Trump praised the new U.S.–EU trade agreement in Scotland as “the largest trade partnership in the world” — a point Europe is likely to emphasize during talks.
Other European figures such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, seen as close to Trump, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who has a personal rapport with him, are also expected to play bridging roles. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, respected for his ability to “calm and steer” discussions, is considered another key voice in the delegation.
The joint mission of Ukraine and Europe is to persuade Trump to recalibrate his stance after Anchorage, where his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin ended with unusually warm gestures — red carpet treatment, public applause, and a shift in tone.
Trump reportedly abandoned his earlier call for a ceasefire and instead signaled readiness to pursue a comprehensive peace deal, which could require Ukraine to concede territory. This outcome has raised deep concerns in Kyiv and across European capitals.
Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder stressed the importance of unity: “They must present a single, coherent front. If Trump agrees, that’s progress. If he doesn’t, Europe and Ukraine still need to show they have their own path forward.”
Diplomats and former officials say the delegation must carefully balance approach and resolve. Kim Darroch, former UK Ambassador to Washington, noted: “Everyone learns the same lesson with Trump: you begin with praise, even flattery — then you pivot to the hard issues.”
Observers suggest that Zelensky should be flanked by figures such as Macron and NATO’s Rutte to deliver the opening messages. Meanwhile, Starmer, who maintains a cordial relationship with Trump, could step in as a mediator if discussions grow tense.
The greatest risk, experts warn, is that Trump perceives the meeting as a coordinated effort to tell him he is wrong — which could trigger a negative reaction or even an abrupt end to the talks.
The Anchorage summit sounded alarms across Europe, but diplomats emphasize the situation is not yet irreversible. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently stated that “the ceasefire is not off the table” and reaffirmed that Washington is prepared to discuss postwar security guarantees for Ukraine.
The strong European presence in Washington reflects both deep anxiety and collective determination. For Trump, analysts say, the stakes go beyond immediate politics: they extend to his legacy.
As former Ambassador Darroch put it: “History will honor Trump if he delivers a fair peace for Ukraine. But if peace is imposed through surrender, that legacy will be tarnished.”
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