Trump, Zelenskyy, European leaders present united front on Ukraine in White House meeting

Zelenskyy thanked Mr. Trump and several European allies who attended Monday's talks at the White House, describing them as "important negotiations" in a post on X.

"It was a long and detailed conversation, including discussions about the situation on the battlefield and our steps to bring peace closer," Zelenskyy said of his talks with the U.S. president.

He said the discussions included security guarantees for Ukraine, adding that he appreciated "the important signal from the United States regarding its readiness to support and be part of these guarantees."

It's not clear how any possible security guarantees to insulate Ukraine from another Russian invasion would work, or how involved the U.S. would be. But Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier Monday that guarantees would be provided by European countries, in "coordination with the United States of America."

Zelenskyy also said the White House meetings included discussions about returning Ukrainian children and prisoners of war held by Russia, and he noted that Mr. Trump has pushed for a summit between Zelenskyy and Putin.

"Today was an important step, a demonstration of genuine unity between Europe and the United States," he wrote. "The leaders personally came to support Ukraine and to discuss everything that will bring us closer to real peace, to a reliable security architecture that will protect Ukraine and all of Europe."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that "we're working on" setting up a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, an idea he called "unprecedented."

Mr. Trump says he spoke to Putin on the phone Monday and pushed for a one-on-one meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, followed by talks between Mr. Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy.

"I'm not saying they're going to leave that room with a peace deal, but I think the fact that people are now talking to each other: This wasn't happening for three and a half years. This was a stalemated war of death and destruction," Rubio said.

Rubio also said "each side is going to have to make some concessions" to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war, but Ukraine will also need to "feel safe moving forward," referring to discussions of security guarantees for the eastern European country.

After meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders, Mr. Trump said he and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had discussed "the massive Worldwide problem of missing children," with a goal of "bringing them home to their families."

Von der Leyen responded by thanking Mr. Trump, and wrote that "every single Ukrainian child abducted by Russia must be returned to their families."

Since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, reports have emerged of Russian troops separating Ukrainian children from their families and giving them to Russian families. The forced removals — which Russia claims are a humanitarian move — led the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant against Putin for alleged war crimes in 2023.

Mr. Trump's Truth Social post on missing children did not mention Russia specifically. But first lady Melania Trump penned an open letter to Putin over the weekend pleading with him to protect "the innocence of these children."

Shortly after leaving talks at the White House, Zelenskyy told CBS News that he hasn't set a date to meet with Putin, but he's prepared for a summit with the Russian president.

Mr. Trump has pushed for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral meeting with the two leaders and the U.S. president.

"Ukraine will never stop on the way to peace, and we are ready for any kind of format, but on the level of leaders," Zelenskyy said at an impromptu press conference in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called Monday's meeting between Mr. Trump, Zelenskyy and European leaders "very successful" in an interview with Fox News.

Rutte said that the group discussed security guarantees for Ukraine — which Zelenskyy has cast as a key facet of any potential deal with Moscow. He said the leaders did not talk about the possibility of Ukraine ceding some of its territory to Russia because they need "full clarity" on how the guarantees will work.

Asked about a call between the U.S. president and Putin, Rutte said Mr. Trump was able to get the Russian leader to agree to a meeting with Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy has left the White House and is holding a press conference steps away, in Lafayette Square, following meetings with Mr. Trump and European leaders.

As the meeting with Zelenskyy and the European leaders was beginning, a hot mic captured a brief conversation President Trump was having with French President Emmanuel Macron. 

Mr. Trump can be heard mentioning setting "a trilat," presumably between Zelenskyy, Putin and Mr. Trump. And then in a comment that seemed to be about Putin, the president told Macron, " I think he wants to make a deal. I think he wants to make a deal for me. You understand that? As crazy as it sounds."

Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social that he discussed security guarantees for Ukraine during his meeting with Zelenskyy and the leaders of several European countries. 

He said the guarantees "would be provided by the various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America."

The U.S. president also called the meeting "a very good, early step."

Zelenskyy has argued that his country needs security guarantees as part of any ceasefire deal with Russia to prevent Putin from reinvading Ukraine. Mr. Trump said earlier Monday that "we will give [Ukraine] very good protection."

The exact structure of those guarantees is unclear — including whether it would require the U.S. or its European allies to get involved in a possible future Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

Ukraine has sought membership in NATO, which would obligate the alliance's other members to come to Ukraine's defense if it were invaded. But Mr. Trump ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine on Sunday.

Mr. Trump said he called Putin shortly after his White House meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders, aiming to arrange a joint session between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.

"After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself," the president wrote on Truth Social.

It's unclear if either side has agreed to the proposed meeting.

A map that appeared to show percentages of Ukrainian regions occupied by Russia was on display in the Oval Office during Mr. Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy appeared to acknowledge the map during a later meeting with Mr. Trump and European leaders, saying he had shown Mr. Trump battlefield details on a map.

"Thank you for the map, by the way," Zelenskyy said.

"Good map," Mr. Trump responded.

"I'm thinking how to take it back," Zelenskyy quipped.

"We'll get you one," said Mr. Trump.

The map is more than a souvenir, though. Whether Russia will retain control of Ukrainian territory — and what territories it will continue to occupy — is a key factor in the peace negotiations. Moscow has pressed Kyiv to cede control of eastern Ukraine's Donbas region in exchange for a ceasefire, a demand Zelenskyy has pushed back on. 

Late Sunday, Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy can end the war "almost immediately" if he agrees to several demands, including "No getting back Obama given Crimea" — referring to the Ukrainian peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014. President Obama did not recognize Crimea as part of Russia.

Mr. Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders in the White House's East Room has concluded, the White House confirmed. The meeting lasted more than two hours.

Zelenskyy's press secretary Serhii Nikiforov told Ukrainian journalists that negotiations later resumed in the Oval Office in a "leaders only" format.

In his comments at the beginning of the multilateral meeting, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of securing the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war and tens of thousands of Ukrainian children who have been abducted by Russia.

"It's very important to exchange all the prisoners, and I think the president will help, and I was very thankful to your wife, again, Mr. President, for the letter about our abducted children," Zelenskyy said, referring to a letter first lady Melania Trump wrote to Putin. "And I hope that really it can be a historic role for the people to bring kids back to the families, and be happy … This is so, so important and I'm happy that we discussed it."

On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the U.S. has "repeatedly raised that issue in every forum possible."

"Children should be returned to their families. On that position, I don't think there's any ambiguity on our side," he said. "And they shouldn't even be a bargaining chip, in regards to a broader negotiation."

The visible parts of Mr. Trump's meetings with Zelenskyy and European leaders went, by and large, "very, very well," but the "proof will be in the pudding in the coming days," said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 

Bowman said he had hoped going into Monday that the leaders would "present a unified image of strength," and that largely happened. Bowman said he hopes Mr. Trump sees today as a "big win" for the U.S., as it "strengthens Mr. Trump's negotiating hand," and "he shouldn't fritter that away." 

But Bowman has been concerned that Mr. Trump's Alaska meeting with Putin would "provide Putin an opportunity to further delay or avoid consequences, and so far that's what has happened." 

"At some point, you're going to have to impose some consequences," Bowman said of the United States' posture toward Russia. 

Before the Alaska summit, Mr. Trump warned that Russia would face "severe consequences" if it didn't stop the fighting. But he said Monday that a ceasefire may not be a prerequisite for a trilateral meeting.

"I thought that was the most unfortunate excerpt" from today's meeting, Bowman said. A ceasefire is "the most obvious concession [Putin] should make," he added. 

"He's continued to attack Ukraine and Ukrainians," Bowman said, speaking to Putin's unwillingness to end the war peacefully.

The issue of "security guarantees" for Ukraine has loomed large over the White House talks, with all the leaders seemingly in agreement about the need to bolster Ukraine's defenses under any eventual peace deal with the goal of deterring Russian aggression in the future. Many analysts and European officials warn that Putin would be emboldened to seize more territory down the line without a robust security agreement.

The contours of what those guarantees would look like are still being hashed out. But comments on Monday indicated that leaders were considering potential peacekeeping troops on the ground, defense and intelligence support for Kyiv and bolstering the Ukrainian army.

Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump's special envoy, hinted at one possibility for ensuring Ukraine's defense over the weekend.

Appearing on CNN on Sunday, Witkoff said the guarantees could be styled on Article 5 of the NATO charter, which states that an attack on one of the 32 members of the transatlantic alliance would be considered an attack on all. That promise of collective defense has served as the underpinning of security in Europe since NATO's founding in 1949, deterring direct aggression against its members during the Cold War and beyond.

Russia vehemently opposes Ukraine joining NATO, viewing it as a threat to its own security. But an Article 5-like arrangement without formally admitting Ukraine into the alliance could reassure Kyiv in a way that Russia might accept. Witkoff said Putin would be open to the U.S. and Europe offering that sort of protection for Ukraine.

Mr. Trump acknowledged that the U.S. would "be involved" in any arrangement to guarantee Ukraine's security, but said Europe would play a large role as well. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he thought the leaders could make progress on formulating an Article 5-style arrangement on Monday.

Several of the leaders assembled around the table stressed the importance of guaranteeing Ukraine's security, not just for Kyiv but for the continent as a whole.

"When we talk about security, we're talking about the security not just of Ukraine, we're talking about the security of Europe and the United Kingdom as well," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said any agreement should focus on "how to be sure that it won't happen again," referring to Russia's invasion.

Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, said the security guarantees are a "big part of this." Finland joined NATO in 2023 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Some of the international media might wonder, why is the president of Finland here? I think the reason is probably that we might come from a small country, but we have a long border with Russia, over 800 miles," Stubb said, mentioning Finland's own history with Russia, including the Soviet invasion of the country during World War II.

"If I look at the silver lining of where we stand right now, we found a solution in 1944, and I'm sure we'll be able to find a solution in 2025 to end Russia's war of aggression and find and get a lasting and just peace," Stubb said. 

The French president said that "everybody around this table is in favor of peace," noting that "when we speak about security guarantees, we speak about the whole security of the European continent." 

"This is why we are all united here with Ukraine on this matter," Macron said. 

Macron said to Mr. Trump, "you can count on us as we can count on you" to deliver peace for Ukraine and Europe more broadly. 

Merz, the German chancellor, said he "can't imagine" another meeting taking place without a ceasefire, a subtle suggestion to Mr. Trump that Putin should not be granted another meeting without agreeing to end the fighting in Ukraine.

"I can't imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire," Merz said. "So let's work on that, and let's try to put pressure on Russia. Because the credibility of these efforts we are undertaking today are depending on at least a ceasefire from the beginning of the series of negotiations, from next step on. So I would like to emphasize this aspect and would like to see a ceasefire from the next meeting, which should be a trilateral meeting, wherever it takes place."

Mr. Trump did not endorse that approach, and has said throughout the day that a ceasefire isn't necessary to reach an agreement.

"Well, we're going to let the president go over and talk to the president, and we'll see how that works out, and if we can do that," Mr. Trump said, meaning Putin and Zelenskyy. 

Mr. Trump said ceasefires haven't preceded peace talks in other peace deals he's been involved in around the world. 

As the leaders took turns addressing the assembled media, Rutte, the NATO secretary general, thanked Mr. Trump for breaking the "deadlock" with Putin by starting a dialogue earlier this year, praising the U.S. president for his work to end the war. 

"If we play this well, we could end this. And we have to end it," Rutte said. 

The NATO chief added that he was "excited" by the progress, while urging the leaders to "get this thing to an end as soon as possible."

Zelenskyy called his meeting with Mr. Trump a "very good conversation," as the U.S. president chimed in saying, "very good." 

"It really was the best one, or, sorry, maybe the best one will be in the future," Zelenskyy said. "But it was really good."

The Ukrainian president said he and Mr. Trump spoke about "sensitive points," including security guarantees, calling it "very positive" that the U.S. is giving "such strong" signals on security guarantees. He also noted the importance of a prisoner exchange and the return of abducted children to their families. 

"All of us want to finish this war, stop Russia and stop this war," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy also said Ukraine would be happy if Mr. Trump attended a possible trilateral meeting with Putin. 

Mr. Trump said he and European leaders will discuss potential security agreement proposals for Ukraine, as well as the possible "exchanges" of territory. 

"The Alaska summit reinforced my belief that while difficult, peace is within reach," Mr. Trump said, alongside the European leaders. "And I believe that, in a very significant step, President Putin agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine, and this is one of the key points that we need to consider. And we're going to be considering that at the table also, like who will do what, essentially."

The president said he's "optimistic" they can reach a security agreement that will deter any future aggression against Ukraine. Mr. Trump said European nations will take "a lot" of the responsibility for ensuring Ukraine's security.

"We also need to discuss the possible exchanges of territory taken into consideration," Mr. Trump said, calling the current war lines "sad" to see. 

Mr. Trump said European leaders also need to consider the negotiating positions of Putin, and of Zelenskyy. 

"Ultimately, this is a decision that can only be made by President Zelenskyy and by the people of Ukraine, working also together and in agreement with President Putin," Mr. Trump said. 

Seated around a large table in the White House's East Room, Mr. Trump kicked off the multilateral meeting with the world leaders minutes before 3 p.m., hailing a "successful day" up to this point. 

"We've had a very successful day thus far, and important discussions as we work to end the killing and stop the war in Ukraine, we're all working toward the same goal — very simple goal — we want to stop the killing, get this settled," the president said.

Mr. Trump said he and Zelenskyy "covered a lot of territory" during their meeting, reiterating that he would call Putin after the meeting with the leaders. 

"We're going to try and work out a trilat after that and see if we can get it finished, put this to sleep, because this is, not since the Second World War has there been anything like this," he said.

After roughly an hour, Mr. Trump and Zelenskyy's meeting has concluded. Mr. Trump, Zelenskyy and European leaders appeared for a "family photo" in the White House.

Mr. Trump did not make remarks to reporters, but could be seen talking with Zelenskyy as the leaders all walked out of Cross Hall. 

Next up is the multilateral meeting involving all of the leaders.

The two presidents' comments at the top of the meeting laid out what each is hoping to accomplish in today's talks.

For Mr. Trump, he said he is pushing for consensus among the U.S., Ukraine and Europe regarding what an eventual peace deal to end the war in Ukraine might look like. He said his end goal is to make enough progress to be able to schedule a follow-up meeting with Zelenskyy and Putin where a final agreement could be reached.

When it came to specifics, including the crucial issue of security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent another Russian invasion in the future, the president largely avoided taking a definitive position, saying the parties at the White House would work to hash out the details. He acknowledged that the U.S. would "be involved" to some degree in ensuring Ukraine's security, along with Europe.

"We're going to work with everybody, and we're going to make sure that if there's peace, the peace is going to stay long term. This is very long term. We're not talking about a two year peace and then we end up in this mess again," Mr. Trump said.

Zelenskyy said he is pushing for "everything" he can get from the U.S. in terms of a security arrangement, and said a "strong Ukrainian army" is crucial for ensuring the country's future. "It's a lot about weapons and then people and training and intelligence," he said, as well as "the big countries" like the U.S. and "a lot of our friends."

Mr. Trump did not take a position on whether Ukraine would have to cede territory to Russia, an idea that Zelenskyy has rejected in the past.

"We're going to have a lasting peace," Mr. Trump said in response to a question about territories.

Mr. Trump said he'll be speaking with Putin today once his meetings with Zelenskyy and European leaders conclude. 

"I just spoke to President Putin indirectly, and we're going to have a phone call right after these meetings today," the president told reporters. 

Next, there "may or may not" be a trilateral meeting with the U.S., Ukraine and Russia, he said. 

The U.S. president said Putin is "expecting my call when we're finished with this meeting." 

After saying he'll speak with Putin, the president concluded the Q&A with reporters to begin his meeting with Zelenskyy behind closed doors.

Zelenskyy, asked what security guarantees he needs from the U.S., responded, "everything," before outlining two aspects of what he is seeking in an eventual peace deal.

The Ukrainian president said the picture includes a strong Ukrainian army, along with weapons, intelligence and training missions from allies and partners. He said that should be paired with cooperation from other countries, including the U.S. and "a lot of our friends."

Mr. Trump said the European leaders "want to give protection," adding that "they feel very strongly about it."

"And we'll help them out with that," Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump said, "I don't think you need a ceasefire," elaborating on the shift in his position following his meeting with Putin.

"I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand, strategically, why one country or the other wouldn't want it," he added.

Friday's meeting in Alaska failed to produce the halt in fighting that the president had previously sought, and the administration has pivoted to seeking a broader peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. The decision to abandon a ceasefire was at odds with the goals of the U.S. and European allies heading into the Alaska summit, and some analysts say the shift could give Putin more leverage at the negotiating table by ramping up strikes against Ukraine.

"I like the concept of a ceasefire for one reason, because you'd stop killing people immediately," Mr. Trump said Monday. "But we can work a deal where we're working on a peace deal while they're fighting."

The president added that previous deals he has made have happened without a ceasefire. 

Zelenskyy, who was criticized by Vance and conservatives in February for not wearing a suit to the White House, is wearing a military-style suit for his meeting with Mr. Trump. 

A reporter who questioned him about his outfit in the last meeting complimented him this time around: "You look fabulous in that suit."

"I said the same thing. Isn't that nice? That's the one who attacked you last time. See, now he's a nice guy," Mr. Trump told Zelenskyy.

"I remember," Zelenskyy replied.

"But you are in the same suit," the Ukrainian leader told the reporter, prompting laughter. "You see, I changed. You [have] not."

Elvira Gasanova, a designer behind the brand that produces Zelenskyy's clothing, told Politico that the outfit reflects both that he is a head of state at war, and an awareness of his environment. 

"This time the President [Zelenskyy] will be in a suit, but the style still remains in a military key with the same symbolism: he is the Head of State, which is at war," Gasanova told Politico.

Mr. Trump, asked about the root causes of the war, which Putin has previously referenced, declared that "the war is going to end."

"When it ends, I can't tell you," he added. "But the war is going to end. And this gentleman wants it to end and Vladimir Putin wants it to end. I think the whole world is tired of it and we're going to get it ended."

The president touted ending six wars, saying, "I thought this maybe would be the easiest one and it's not the easiest one. It's a tough one."

A reporter asked if any security guarantee for Ukraine would involve U.S. troops. Mr. Trump responded that the U.S. Mr. Trump responded that the U.S. would "be involved." 

"We'll let you know that maybe later today," Mr. Trump responded. "We're meeting with seven great leaders of great countries also. And we'll be talking about that. They'll all be involved. There'll be a lot of,  there'll be a lot of help, when it comes to security, there will be a lot of help. It's going to be good. They are a first line of defense because they're there, they're Europe. But we're going to help them out also. We'll be involved." 

Mr. Trump said "if everything works out today," the leaders would have a trilateral meeting with Putin, saying, "I think there will be a reasonable chance of ending the war when we do that."

Asked whether Monday's meeting would mark the end of the road on American support for Ukraine, Mr Trump said no, replying that "it's never the end of the road."

"People are being killed and we want to stop that, so I would not say it's the end of the road, no," Mr. Trump added, acknowledging the deaths last week on both sides of the war. 

Mr. Trump pointed blame at the Biden administration, saying "this isn't my war, this is Joe Biden's war" when asked whether Russia or Ukraine was in a better negotiating position. 

Zelenskyy offered brief remarks thanking Mr. Trump for his efforts to end the war, as well as first lady Melania Trump's efforts. 

"Thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop the killings and stop this war," Zelenskyy said. 

Zelenskyy also thanked the first lady for a letter she reportedly wrote to Putin, urging him to allow the children of Ukraine to grow up, and grow up in peace. 

"She sent a letter to Putin about our children," Zelenskyy said. 

The president kicked off his meeting in the Oval Office with Zelenskyy with brief remarks.

"It's an honor to have the president of Ukraine with us," Mr. Trump said. "We've had a lot of good discussions, a lot of good talks. And I think progress is being made — very substantial progress — in many ways."

The president said "there's a possibility" that something could come out of the meeting with Putin, adding that "today's meeting is very important."

Zelenskyy's motorcade arrived outside the West Wing of the White House just before 1:15 p.m. Mr. Trump greeted him as he emerged from a black SUV, shaking his hand and escorting him inside.

Asked by a reporter what his message is to the people of Ukraine, Mr. Trump responded, "We love them. We love them." 

Zelenskyy is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Trump and other U.S. officials in the Oval Office first, before expanded meetings with European leaders later in the afternoon.

Zelenskyy said in a post on X that he met with several of the European leaders Monday morning to get on the same page before heading to the White House.

"Together with the leaders of Finland, the United Kingdom, Italy, the European Commission, and the NATO Secretary General, we coordinated our positions ahead of the meeting with President Trump. Ukraine is ready for a real truce and for establishing a new security architecture. We need peace," he wrote, along with a video of him greeting the leaders outside the Ukrainian embassy in Washington. 

Shortly after noon, European leaders began arriving on the South Lawn. 

The order of arrival was:

• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
• Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission
• U.K Prime Minister Keir Starmer
• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni 
• Finnish President Alexander Stubb 
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
• French President Emmanuel Macron

Their motorcades passed by an honor guard of U.S. servicemembers holding flags along the driveway leading to the South Portico of the White House.

The president did not greet the leaders outside. Instead, Monica Crowley, the chief of protocol at the State Department, was on hand to welcome them. A red carpet outlined the path for the leaders from their vehicles into the White House.

In a post on Truth Social before the leaders arrived, the president took aim at critics who have questioned his approach to ending the war in Ukraine, saying the Wall Street Journal and others "truly don't have a clue."

"I'm only here to stop it, not to prosecute it any further," he wrote. "It would have NEVER happened if I was President. I know exactly what I'm doing, and I don't need the advice of people who have been working on all of these conflicts for years, and were never able to do a thing to stop them."

He continued: "They are 'STUPID' people, with no common sense, intelligence, or understanding, and they only make the current R/U disaster more difficult to FIX. Despite all of my lightweight and very jealous critics, I'll get it done — I always do!!!"

Russian attacks on Ukraine continued ahead of the meeting in Washington. An overnight wave of air strikes hit cities around the country, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Sumy, according to local media.

Ukrainian authorities said a drone attack on a residential area in the city of Kharkiv killed a toddler, a 16-year-old and five other people.

"Despite all of the diplomacy and peace efforts, Russia continues to kill civilians," Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said in a social media post. "Russia is a murderous war machine that Ukraine is holding back. And it must be stopped through transatlantic unity and pressure. Moscow must stop the killing in order to advance diplomacy."

"This was a demonstrative and cynical Russian strike. They are aware that a meeting is taking place today in Washington that will address the end of the war," Zelenskyy wrote on social media, adding that dozens more people, including children, had been injured in the attack on Kharkiv.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised Mr. Trump ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy in a post on X, saying the president "should be commended for his dogged determination to bring peace to Ukraine and for his courage to engage with all parties in a way his predecessor refused to do."

Thune reiterated that the Senate is ready to provide the White House with "any economic leverage needed to keep Russia at the table to negotiate a just and lasting peace in Ukraine" in what appeared to be a nod to the bipartisan effort in Congress to impose new economic sanctions aimed at ramping up pressure on the Kremlin. 

For months, the Senate has been pushing for the sanctions bill, which was introduced by GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham in April and has 84 cosponors, but Thune has so far deferred to the White House on timing.

U.S. allies hope Monday's meeting will go better than Zelenskyy's memorable last visit to the White House in February. That meeting devolved into chaos, finger pointing and insults, prompting Zelenskyy's visit to be cut short. 

During the course of an Oval Office meeting, Mr. Trump threatened Zelenskyy to make a deal with Russia or "we're out," while Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being "disrespectful." 

"You don't have the cards right now," Mr. Trump said in February, as Zelenskyy interjected and disagreed. "With us, you start having cards. Right now, you don't have your playing cards, your playing cards — you're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III." 

"Have you said 'thank you' once, this entire meeting? No, in this entire meeting, have you said 'thank you?'" Vance said to Zelenskyy. 

Zelenskyy's voice remained largely measured, while Vance and Mr. Trump raised theirs. Amid the chaos, a reporter asked — what if Russia violates a ceasefire?

"What if anything?" Mr. Trump responded. "What if a bomb drops on your head right now? OK?"

Today's meeting at the White House with Ukraine and other European nations is "the first meeting in such a format, and it is very serious," Zelenskyy wrote on X. 

He thanked Keith Kellogg, the special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, for a meeting before the gathering at the White House, posting a video that showed a warm greeting between the two and their discussions. 

"We discussed the battlefield situation and our strong diplomatic capabilities — Ukraine's and all of Europe's together with America," Zelenskyy said in his post. 

He arrived in Washington on Sunday. 

The Ukrainian president said that Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities continued overnight, and two children were among those killed. 

"People were simply sleeping when the Russian army launched strikes on the cities," Zelenskyy said. 

"Russia can only be forced into peace through strength, and President Trump has that strength," he wrote. "We have to do everything right to make peace happen. Thank you!"

On Sunday, a slew of European leaders announced they would be accompanying Zelenskyy on his trip to Washington, including:

• EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
• French President Emannuel Macron
• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
• Finnish President Alexander Stubb

Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday morning that "We have never had so many European Leaders here at one time. A great honor for America!!! Lets see what the results will be???"

Mr. Trump will meet with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office before holding a larger meeting with participating European leaders, with both events partly open to cameras. 

Reporters are expected to be ushered into the beginning of Mr. Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy at 1:15 p.m., as well as part of the meeting with European leaders at 3 p.m. Those times are subject to change, as meetings may run long. There is no press conference scheduled with Mr. Trump and any European leaders. 

Other U.S. officials will be in the Oval Office for the meeting with Zelenskyy, including Vice President JD Vance, Rubio, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. 

Here's the full schedule, released by the White House:

• Noon: European leaders arrive
• 1 p.m.: Mr. Trump greets Zelenskyy 
• 1:15 p.m.: Bilateral meeting between Mr. Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office
• 2:15 p.m.: Mr. Trump greets European leaders in the State Dining Room 
• 2:30 p.m.: Mr. Trump and European leaders take a "family photo"
• 3 p.m.: Mr. Trump holds a multilateral meeting with European leaders in the East Room

Rubio said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that although there wasn't a "lot of progress" in the Alaska summit on Friday, it resulted in "enough movement" to justify Monday's talks.

"If not, we wouldn't be having Zelenskyy flying all the way over here," Rubio said. "We wouldn't be having all the Europeans coming all the way over here. Now understand, and take with a grain of salt, I'm not saying we're on the verge of a peace deal, but I am saying that we saw movement, enough movement to justify a follow-up meeting with Zelenskyy and the Europeans, enough movement for us to dedicate even more time to this."

On the possibility of further sanctions on Russia, such as the secondary sanctions Mr. Trump has threatened to impose, Rubio said punishing Russia now would prompt Moscow to disengage.

"The moment the president puts those additional sanctions, that's the end of the talks. You've basically locked in at least another year to year and a half of war and death and destruction," Rubio said. "We may unfortunately wind up there, but we don't want to wind up there. We want to wind up with a peace deal that ends this war so Ukraine can go on with the rest of their lives and rebuild their country and be assured that this is never going to happen again."

Rubio said "both sides" are going to have to make concessions. "That's how these deals are made, whether we like it or not," he told Brennan. 

Read more here.

Putin agreed at the Alaska summit to allow the U.S. and its European allies to offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO's collective defense mandate as part of an eventual deal to end the 3 1/2-year war in Ukraine, special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday.

"We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO," he told CNN's "State of the Union." He added that it "was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that" and called it "game-changing."

Article 5, at the heart of the 32-member military alliance, states that an armed attack against one or more of the members shall be considered an attack against all members.

Witkoff, who had joined Rubio for the talks at a military base in Alaska, offered few details on how such an agreement would work. But it appeared to be a major shift for Putin and could serve as a workaround to his long-standing objection to Ukraine's potential NATO membership.

Read more here.