Europe Decides: Zelensky Won’t Face Trump Alone

Kokcha News Agency – A coalition of European leaders, known as the “Volunteers Coalition,” will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Washington tomorrow to call for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. This move comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his call for a ceasefire following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Three years after the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, achieving a ceasefire was one of Trump’s key demands before the summit, which excluded Ukraine and its European allies. However, after the meeting yielded no clear progress, Trump declared that an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine was not feasible. This shift has been interpreted as favoring Putin, who has long advocated for negotiations toward a final peace agreement.

Conference and U.S. Visit
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that Zelensky will be invited to a meeting in Brussels, where other European leaders will join via video conference. Following this, European leaders will accompany Zelensky on his U.S. trip at his request. The German government confirmed that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be among the European leaders and will emphasize the “urgency of a swift peace agreement in Ukraine.”

Finland has announced that President Alexander Stubb will also travel to Washington, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the leaders who will be in the U.S. tomorrow.

Trump’s Controversial Statement
On his return flight from Alaska to Washington, Trump briefed Zelensky and European leaders, stating, “Everyone agrees that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to reach a peace agreement directly.” On Truth Social, Trump added that ceasefire agreements “often do not hold.”

However, Zelensky appeared unconvinced by this shift in stance, saying it “complicates the situation.” In a social media post, Zelensky stated, “If Moscow lacks the will to issue a simple order to stop the attacks, it may take significant effort for Russia to implement a much greater will to coexist peacefully with its neighbors for decades.”