Kathmandu:
Former U.S. President Donald Trump called it a “big day” at the White House on Monday as he prepared to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and key European leaders for high-stakes talks on the Russia-Ukraine war.
The summit comes just hours after Russian missile strikes killed at least 10 people in Ukraine, prompting Zelensky to accuse President Vladimir Putin of seeking to “humiliate diplomatic efforts.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the leaders attending the Washington talks, which are expected to focus on Ukraine’s future security arrangements and the prospect of peace negotiations.
Trump has already ruled out Ukraine’s NATO membership and the return of Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, as part of any future peace deal, a stance observers say raises “worrying signs for Ukraine.” On Sunday, Trump’s special envoy claimed Putin had agreed to “robust” security guarantees for Kyiv, potentially including a NATO-style defense framework. The Kremlin has not yet commented.
Analysts say the talks will test whether Washington and its European allies can agree on a roadmap balancing Ukraine’s demand for security, Russia’s territorial claims, and Europe’s push for a negotiated settlement.