TEHRAN - Three days after giving Russian President Vladimir Putin a warm, high-profile welcome in Alaska, President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders at the White House on Monday. 

Among those attending were French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. 

They projected a sense of unity and seemed aligned on potential steps to curb the fighting between Ukraine and Russia, but their diplomatic efforts fell short of ending the conflict.

Much of the meeting focused on the security guarantees that the United States and European nations could provide Ukraine if Zelensky agreed to a deal to end the fighting. Certain differences became apparent, such as Merz’s call for a ceasefire before further negotiations with Russia—a suggestion that was gently rebuffed by Trump.

All participants seemed aligned on the plan to arrange direct talks between Zelensky and Putin. Trump also spoke with Putin to explore the possibility of a direct meeting between the two leaders. 

Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy aide to Putin, said the Russian and American leaders had agreed to designate senior negotiators to conduct direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, but he did not indicate whether Putin himself would take part. Although Putin has not explicitly rejected a meeting with Zelensky, he has emphasized that he does not regard the Ukrainian president as legitimate or his equal.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States and other Western allies have provided significant military support to Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Russia to pressure Putin to end the war. These measures, however, have so far failed to achieve their objectives. Frustrated by the limited impact of sanctions and pressure, the parties are now attempting to pursue an end to the war through dialogue. 

Meaningful security guarantees for Ukraine, as they have demanded, would likely require European troops on the ground—an option Russia is highly unlikely to accept.

The issue of what territory Kyiv might need to cede in a peace deal also remained unclear after the Monday talks. Ukraine faces a difficult dilemma: refusing to cede land could prolong the war, while agreeing to give up territory might be seen as surrendering to Russia’s demands; a classic lose-lose situation. This predicament reflects both Ukraine’s trust in the West and Western interference in Ukraine’s affairs, including plans to eventually incorporate Ukraine into NATO.

Afifeh Abedi, a researcher and foreign policy expert, told the Tehran Times that the US under Trump has taken a step back from direct involvement in the conflict, a shift that has significant implications for Europe. She noted that “since Trump took office, the United States has maintained a significant distance from developments in the war in Ukraine; a stance that became even more apparent after meeting with Putin in Alaska.”

Abedi said this change highlights that Europe can no longer rely on the US to escalate conflicts or increase pressure on Russia. The White House meetings with multiple European leaders underscored, in her view, “the structural weakness and dependence of Brussels on Washington in the areas of security and crisis management in Ukraine.” She described the gathering as a clear effort by European leaders to prevent a widening strategic gap across the Atlantic.

Looking ahead, Abedi emphasized the uncertainty surrounding Europe’s next moves. “If European leaders take a pragmatic approach and agree to negotiations with Moscow, a path to peace and reduced tensions could emerge.” But she warned that if Europe continues to insist on a military solution, the situation could become increasingly complex and high-risk.