The U.S., Europe, and Ukraine will engage in intensive talks early in the morning, will there be new developments on the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
According to the schedule released by the White House, local time at noon on August 18 (Beijing time August 19 at midnight), European leaders including German Chancellor Merz, French President Macron, and European Commission President von der Leyen will successively arrive at the White House to kick off a series of critical meetings regarding the Ukraine issue.
The schedule released by the White House shows:
At 1 PM (Beijing time at 1 AM), U.S. President Trump will hold the first bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, expected to focus on the prospects for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and security guarantees. Fifteen minutes later, both sides will enter a closed-door meeting mode to delve into the potential peace plan proposed by Trump and Putin after their meeting in Alaska.
At 2:15 PM, Trump will meet separately with European leaders, followed by a joint participation in a multilateral meeting at 3 PM. The core objective of this collective European action is to ensure that European interests are not excluded from key decision-making in the context of accelerated U.S.-Russia negotiations.
It is noteworthy that before Zelensky's visit to the U.S., he had coordinated positions with the EU, emphasizing that any agreements involving territory must be decided independently by Ukraine. The EU has also made it clear that it will introduce the 19th round of sanctions against Russia in early September, continuing to apply pressure on Moscow.
The direction of this meeting could directly influence the subsequent development of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. If the “direct peace agreement” framework promoted by Trump gains European support, it could pave the way for trilateral peace talks; if Europe insists on the stance of “ceasefire first, then discuss long-term plans,” it may delay the process.
In summary, the collective visit of European leaders highlights the urgency felt by all parties regarding the current situation, especially in light of potential strategic decision adjustments following the U.S.-Russia meeting in Alaska.
Moreover, this collective European action clearly indicates their unwillingness to be excluded from the decision-making process, adding new complexities to future negotiations.
Regarding the “direct peace agreement” framework promoted by Trump, do you think the collective visit of European leaders can enhance their voice in the Ukraine issue? Leave your opinions and predictions in the comments section!