A high-level meeting took place at the White House between European leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The talks brought together NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Speaking before journalists, Trump discussed his recent meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that Putin had “agreed to extensive security guarantees.” According to U.S. media, these guarantees could resemble NATO’s Article 5, obligating defense in case of invasion.
Macron stressed that such guarantees should apply to all of Europe and insisted that Ukraine must keep a “strong army,” rejecting Putin’s demand for its disarmament. Rutte welcomed Trump’s stance, calling it a breakthrough toward a peace deal. Merz said the Alaska talks had opened the way for serious negotiations, but underlined that a ceasefire must come first.
Finnish President Stubb praised the progress, saying more had been achieved in the past two weeks than in the last three and a half years. He emphasized the symbolic importance of the gathering, while recalling Finland’s border and shared history with Russia.
British Prime Minister Starmer described the White House talks as potentially “historic,” highlighting that Trump’s mention of NATO-style security guarantees aligned with ongoing European efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s defense.
