European leaders will speak to US President Donald Trump today in a last-minute attempt to persuade him not to cut a deal with Russia without Ukraine’s involvement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — who will join the call but who has not been invited to Trump’s meeting with his Russian counterpart on Friday — has warned that ceding territory to Moscow, as Trump has suggested, would create a springboard for a wider war.
The White House downplayed the expectations for the meeting yesterday, calling it a “listening exercise” for Trump. Zelenskyy will try to impress his demands on Trump today: Ukraine wants to ensure a lasting ceasefire, meaningful security guarantees, and billions of dollars in reparations from Moscow, Politico reported.
