President Donald Trump is scheduled on Monday to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House for a high-stakes meeting as the U.S. president pushes for a deal to end Moscow’s war on its neighbor. A host of European leaders will join the pair.
The day of meetings follows Trump’s Friday summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska — and it comes about six months after an explosive Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
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Aug 18, 6:54 AM
‘Everyone seeks dignified peace,’ Zelenskyy says ahead of Trump meeting
As he prepares for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lamented an overnight Russian attack that he described as “demonstrative and cynical.”
The deadly Russian aerial strike hit a residential building in Ukraine, according to Zelenskyy and local officials.
“They are aware that a meeting is taking place today in Washington that will address the end of the war,” Zelenskyy said of officials in Moscow.
He said the European and NATO officials who are scheduled to join Trump at the White House all seek “dignified peace and true security.”
“Russians are deliberately killing people, particularly children,” Zelenskyy said. “As of now, seven people have been killed as a result of the drone strike in Kharkiv, the youngest being a girl who is only a year and a half old, and dozens have been injured, including children.”
Aug 18, 6:13 AM
Trump to host Ukrainian, NATO, European leaders seeking end to Russia’s war
President Donald Trump will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with NATO and European leaders, at the White House on Monday in the latest high-stakes meeting seeking a negotiated end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
European leaders — including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer — are expected to arrive at the White House at noon, according to the White House.
Trump is then scheduled to greet Zelenskyy at 1 p.m. outside the West Wing, after which they will hold a bilateral meeting.
The European leaders and Trump will then take a group photo, which is expected to be followed at 3 p.m. by multilateral meeting between Trump and the European leaders in the East Room.
The day of meetings follows Trump’s Friday summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the pair had what Trump described as a “very productive” meeting, but after which they didn’t announce a deal to end the war.
The meeting also arrives about six months after an explosive Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
“He can come back when he is ready for peace,” Trump said at the time.
Zelenskyy on Sunday said on social media that he had arrived in Washington, adding that those who will attend the White House meetings “all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably.”
“Russia must end this war, which it itself started,” he added.
-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh and Kevin Shalvey
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