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During the previous Oval Office encounter, Vance reportedly urged Zelensky to “offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.” Merezhko, the chair of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, believes that Vance’s comments were provocative. Zelensky has learned from this experience and will aim to maintain a respectful tone during the upcoming meeting.
To improve relations with the United States, Ukrainian officials hope that the visit will be attended by European allies. Several European leaders, including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, have confirmed their presence at the White House meeting. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte are also expected to participate.
European leaders have been working hard to maintain relevance in U.S.-brokered peace talks over Ukraine. They met virtually with Zelensky and Trump before the Republican summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where they reiterated that Ukraine should be involved in negotiations and that international borders should not be changed by force.
One of the main obstacles in reaching a ceasefire agreement is Russia’s territorial demands. The Kremlin claims control over certain regions, including parts of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. However, these territories are not internationally recognized. Ukraine has repeatedly stated that it will not cede any territory to Russia.
After the Alaska summit, Trump reportedly told European leaders about a plan in which Ukraine would cede territory controlled by Russia in exchange for Russia providing some land in areas currently held by Kyiv but not by Russia. Despite this proposal, Zelensky’s special envoy Steve Witkoff stated that Ukraine would have “Article 5-like” protections from future Russian aggression.
Expectations are low for the upcoming meeting. Merezhko believes it is nearly impossible to reconcile the divergent demands of both sides. Trump has emphasized the need for European involvement in resolving the conflict, stating that President Zelensky will need their help to achieve a lasting peace.
