Brussels – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in a post on X that she will meet with US President Donald Trump and other European leaders at the White House on Monday, following a proposal from Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reports 24brussels.
President Zelenskyy is set to travel to Washington on Monday for critical discussions with President Trump. This meeting follows a summit held in Alaska on Friday, where Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were unable to reach an agreement on the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
“This afternoon, I will welcome Zelensky in Brussels,”
von der Leyen stated in her post.
This afternoon, I will welcome @ZelenskyyUa in Brussels.
Together, we will participate in the Coalition of Willing VTC.
At the request of President Zelenskyy, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow.— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 17, 2025
“Together, we will participate in the Coalition of Willing. At the request of President Zelensky, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow,”
she added. Von der Leyen also mentioned that she will host Zelenskyy in Brussels later on Sunday, where they will collectively engage with other European leaders.
Which European leaders are expected to join the White House meeting?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed his attendance and will head to Washington, DC on Monday to participate in discussions involving Zelensky and Trump. A European official informed CNN that NATO Chief Mark Rutte and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb are also expected to be present at the meeting, along with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Why is the coalition of the willing meeting again?
Furthermore, the “coalition of the willing,” which consists of Kyiv’s key European allies, will convene today in preparation for Zelensky’s presidential session at the White House on Monday.
The Élysée Palace announced that the meeting will be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, occurring via video conference starting at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET), as stated by the French Presidency.
This marks the coalition’s second meeting within a week, reformed earlier this year to provide Ukraine with security assurances in the event of a ceasefire.
When did Trump and von der Leyen last meet?
The last meeting between Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Donald Trump took place in July 2025. The encounter occurred at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, where both leaders engaged in discussions aimed at averting a potential transatlantic trade war.
During their talks, the leaders addressed tariffs and trade relations, concluding a significant trade agreement that would see European goods entering the U.S. subjected to a reduced tariff rate from a proposed 30% to 15%.
