18m agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 4:48pmWorld leaders arrive at the White House
19m agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 4:47pmZelenskyy holds early meetings of his own
On Telegram and X, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenkyy has posted about two other meetings in Washington DC this morning.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with European leaders this morning (Supplied: Volodymyr Zelenskyy)
One at the Ukrainian embassy, where a group of European leaders have attended.
And the other at was with Donald Trump’s Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg. Russian analysts have said in the past Vladimir Putin is not the biggest fan of Kellogg. It’s worth noting, despite his title, it’s Steve Witkoff who reguarly makes the trips to Moscow to speak with Russia about this war.
“General Kellogg! Thank you for the meeting and for working together with our team,” Zelenskyy said.
He also posted on X ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump.
“Our main goal is a reliable and lasting peace for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe. And it is important that the momentum of all our meetings lead to precisely this result.
“We understand that we shouldn’t expect Putin to voluntarily abandon aggression and new attempts at conquest. That is why pressure must work, and it must be joint pressure – from the United States and Europe, and from everyone in the world who respects the right to life and the international order.”
“Ukraine is ready for a real ceasefire and the establishment of a new security architecture. We need peace.”
We can expect to hear more about what that security architecture could look like today.
39m agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 4:27pm
Who is (and isn’t) joining Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington?
A European entourage is accompanying President Zelenskyy at the White House.
It’s an unprecedented show of force to Donald Trump that Europe has Ukraine’s back.
According to reports, the collective support of seven leaders was organised by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Alongside them are UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Fredrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Some of those leaders are closer with Trump than others.
Giorgia Meloni was the only European leader invited to his inauguration in January and has spent time at his home in Florida, Mar-a-Lago.
Giorgia Meloni visited Donald Trump in Washington in April. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
Marke Rutte has a track record of flattering Trump for diplomatic purposes, after he referred to the US president a “daddy” at the recent NATO summit.
Other European leaders reportedly offered to join the trip, including from Nordic and Baltic countries, but the group was deliberately kept small.
A statement was signed by 26 of the 27 EU leaders warning Ukraine’s borders should not be redrawn by force ahead of Trump’s meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week.
Missing from that statement was Hungary’s leader Viktor Orbán, who has friendly relations with Russia and has repeatedly tried to block European support for Ukraine.
Viktor Orban is an ally of Vladimir Putin. (Sputnik/Valeriy Sharifulin/Pool via Reuters)
The European leaders attending the White House met with Zelenskyy virtually on Sunday for a Coalition of the Willing meeting, which also included Australia, to work out a game plan for the Washington talks.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the meeting wasn’t just about defending Ukraine, but all of Europe.
“Our goal for [the] talks is to present a united front between Ukraine and its European allies,” Macron said.
“If we show weakness today in front of Russia, we are laying the ground for future conflict.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has receive strong support from Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer in recent months. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via Reuters)
51m agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 4:15pm
European leaders start to arrive
Mark Rutte at the White House (Reuters: Nathan Howard)
We’ve just seen a live shot of NATO chief Mark Rutte arriving at the White House.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is there too.
We’re hearing Emmanuel Macron has landed. We’re waiting on any sign of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
So we are underway here in Washington DC. I’m sure we can expect a steady stream of leaders to be arriving at the White House from now.
58m agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 4:08pm
‘Let’s see what the results will be’: Trump
Donald Trump has been busy posting to Truth Social this morning:Â
A big day at the White House. We have never had so many European Leaders here at one time. A great honor for America!!! Lets see what the results will be??? President DJT
1h agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 3:58pm
Zelenskyy has brought back up this time
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s last meeting in the Oval Office was a significant moment in the war.
Zelenskyy was berated by both Trump and US Vice President JD Vance for being “ungrateful” for American support in an episode that was captured by the world’s media.
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Global affairs analyst Michael Bociurkiw told ABC’s The World that European leaders who have travelled to Washington today would be trying to prevent a repeat of the meeting.
He added that the Alaska summit would have done nothing to ease their concerns about what Trump might do next.
“I think alarm bells went off in all the European capitals after it looked like Mr Trump … fell hook, line and sinker for what Mr Putin had to offer, and now I think he’s getting ready to deliver what I think is a poison pill to the Ukrainians,” he said.
British PM Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb are set to meet with Trump today.
“It’s important for the Europeans to be there: (Trump) respects them, he behaves differently in their presence,” Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian lawmaker from Zelenskyy’s ruling party, told Reuters.
1h agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 3:56pm
How today is expected to go
We have some rough timings from the White House and a plan for how the day is expected to go.
Of course as we saw in Alaska, that could change.
But here is the current plan:
European leaders arrive at the White HouseVolodymyr Zelensky is due to arrive at the White House at 1pm, local timeZelenskyy and Donald Trump will meet for a one-on-one meeting Then we can probably expect a little photo opportunity with all the leaders at that moment By mid-afternoon, local time, here in Washington DC, all the leaders will gather for a multilateral meeting Then, we wait and see.Â
1h agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 3:45pm
Our team covering today’s events
The big meetings are in Washington DC today, but the discussions are high stakes for Europe. Our team is positioned across the world to bring you the developments and what they mean.
North America correspondent Kamin Gock at the White House
Americas editor John Lyons at the White House
North America reporter Brad Ryan in Washington DC
Camera operators Brad McLennan and Cameron Schwarz at the White HouseÂ
Europe editor Mazoe Ford in LondonÂ
Europe correspondent Elias Clure in KharkivÂ
Reporter Patrick Martin in LondonÂ
Producers Emilie Gramenz and Phoebe Hosier in Washington DC
Myself, foreign desk reporter Emily Clark in Washington DC
And we are supported by a group of brilliant colleagues back home.
Press gather outside the West Wing (ABC News: Kamin Gock)1h agoMon 18 Aug 2025 at 3:36pmWelcome to our live coverage
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House.
The plan we have says Zelenskyy is due to meet US president Donald Trump first in a bilateral meeting.
Then a few hours later, the two leaders will be joined by the group of European leaders that has also travelled to Washington DC.
I’m Emily Clark, a reporter on the ABC News foreign desk currently based in Washington DC. Together will my colleagues from around the world, I’ll bring you updates as they happen.