From Putin’s Courage To Ukraine’s Security Guarantees: What Did EU Leaders Say

Last Updated:August 19, 2025, 06:19 IST

European leaders, many of whom participated in the White House discussions, shared their impressions with the media afterward.

Trump hosts Zelenskyy Monday’s meeting comes just days after President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 (AFP Image)

The high-level multilateral summit at the White House concluded Monday in Washington D.C., where US President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders. The key focus of the meeting was to explore paths toward ending the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

Following his meeting with Trump, President Zelenskyy addressed the press at Lafayette Square, expressing cautious optimism about the future of negotiations. “Issue of territory is an issue that we will leave between me and Putin," Zelenskyy said. He reiterated his willingness to engage directly with the Russian president, stating, “I believe unconditionally we should meet and think about the further development of this path to the end of the war." He added that he is ready for “any format" of a meeting with Putin.

European leaders, many of whom participated in the White House discussions, shared their impressions with the media afterward. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to meet with Zelenskyy within the next two weeks, a major development believed to have followed a private phone call between Trump and Putin during the summit. However, Merz added a note of skepticism, “We’ll see if he has the courage to show up."

On the subject of potential territorial concessions, Merz rejected any suggestion that Ukraine should cede land under pressure, “The Russian demand that Kyiv give up the free parts of Donbas is, to put it in perspective, equivalent to the US having to give up Florida." He also stressed the importance of pan-European involvement in any long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, exiting via the West Wing, offered a brief but suggestive comment to CNN when asked what had been agreed during the talks, “Quite a lot."

Finnish President Alexander Stubb also weighed in on the proceedings, confirming that the decision to contact Putin was a combined effort among Western leaders. “It was coordinated," he told CNN. He confirmed that Putin had agreed to a meeting with Zelenskyy, though he did not share specifics of the call between Trump and the Russian leader. On security guarantees for Ukraine, Stubb noted, “There is nothing concrete" regarding US participation at this point.

He also cast doubt on the Russian leader’s sincerity, stating, “He cannot be trusted. We will see if Putin has the courage to come to such a meeting."

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte echoed that the issue of territorial boundaries remains solely in Ukraine’s hands. “Everybody is clear, that when it comes to territory, it is the Ukrainian president who has to discuss this in the trilateral and probably more conversations after that with Vladimir Putin from Russia," he told Fox News, describing the meeting as “very successful."

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to journalists about the European role in maintaining peace on the ground. “[We] will need to help Ukraine with boots on the ground," Macron said, adding that Russia may face “strict actions" if it “doesn’t play ball." He expressed doubt over Moscow’s commitment to a peaceful resolution, “I’m not convinced Russia wants peace," Macron said, while stressing that a peace deal “couldn’t take weeks or months" to finalise.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was specifically praised by President Trump for raising the issue of abducted Ukrainian children, wrote on X that human costs must not be overlooked. “And that means every single Ukrainian child abducted by Russia must be returned to their families. I thank @POTUS for his clear commitment today to ensuring these children are reunited with their loved ones," she posted.

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