TRANSCRIPT
European leaders are preparing to join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a highly anticipated meeting with United States President Donald Trump.
The UK, Italy, Finland and France will attend the meeting with Ukraine's President- in which an end to the war in Ukraine is expected to be discussed.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will also attend the meeting at the White House, says robust security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe will be key.
"First, we must have strong security guarantees to protect both Ukraine and Europe's vital security interests. Ukraine must be able to uphold its sovereignty and its territorial integrity. There can be no limitations on Ukrainian armed forces."
It's a position echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who says Europe is united in backing Ukraine.
He says the outcome of the meeting cannot be one that rewards Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine.
FRENCH THEN ENGLISH VO "If we are weak today with Russia, we will be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow... So no weakness. Ultimately, what we are saying is that we want peace... But we want a robust peace, a peace that in no way can be a capitulation. A peace that in no way can be at the expense of the security of Europeans."
It comes as Ukraine faces pressure from the United States to accept a peace deal, after Mr Trump's face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended without achieving a ceasefire.
The US President emerged from the meeting more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal instead of first establishing a ceasefire.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says a lasting peace deal is the preferred outcome.
"Who would be against the fact if tomorrow we came to you and said, we have a full peace deal and it's done, I think that's the best way to end the war. Now, whether there needs to be a ceasefire on the way there, well, we've advocated for that. Unfortunately, the Russians as of now have not agreed to that. But the ideal here, what we're aiming for here, is not a ceasefire. What we ultimately are aiming for is an end to this war.”
While the talks were seen by some to have produced little movement in negotiations, Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, says the meeting made important progress on potential security guarantees for Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ruled out Ukraine becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
But Mr Witkoff says the peace deal discussed with Russia could include guarantees similar to Article 5 of the alliance's charter, which obliges NATO members to defend a fellow member from attacks.
"It means that the United States is potentially prepared to be able to give Article 5 security guarantees, but not from NATO, directly from the United States and other European countries. That is big. I mean, really big.”
Mr Macron says the substance of peace-deal security guarantees for Ukraine will be more important than whether they are given an Article 5-type label.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, meanwhile, says such a guarantee suggests the US is serious about finding a security deal that benefits Ukraine.
GERMAN THEN ENGLISH VO: "I think it is a really great progress that America is prepared to give such security guarantees together with us Europeans, but the major work on a peace agreement, if there is no ceasefire now, the major work on such a peace agreement now lies ahead of all those involved and not behind us."
Mr Zelenskyy has welcomed Trump administration's comments regarding a defence agreement, but says bolstering Ukraine’s army must also be a part of any security guarantee.
UKRAINIAN THEN ENGLISH VO:"A strong army is the only thing that can provide security guarantees. Only Ukraine can provide this. I believe that only Europe can provide funding for this army, and weapons for the army can be provided by our domestic production and European production, but there are some things that are in short supply and are only available in the United States of America."
In a statement issued after the meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Putin said Russia would like to move on to resolving all issues by peaceful means.
Sources briefed on Russia's thinking have told Reuters the US and Russian leaders discussed proposals for Russia to relinquish small pockets of occupied Ukraine, in exchange for Ukraine ceding a swathe of fortified land in the east, and freezing the front lines elsewhere.
Top U-S officials have also hinted the fate of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region — which incorporates Donetsk and Luhansk, and which is already mostly under Russian control — may be on the line.
Mr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has reiterated his reluctance to cede land to Russia.
"Russia is still unsuccessful in Donetsk region. Putin has been unable to take it for 12 years and the constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible. Impossible to give up territory or trade land. Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia and the trilateral Ukraine, United States, Russia. So far, Russia gives no sign that trilateral will happen."
The hope from European leaders is that their presence at the meeting will at the very least help Mr Zelenskyy avoid a repeat of his last meeting in Washington in February, which saw Trump and his vice president JD Vance give the Ukrainian leader a public dressing-down, accusing him of being ungrateful and disrespectful.
