As the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House ended in chaos, reports emerged that European leaders pressured President Zelensky with direct phone calls to "return to the White House."
On the 1st (local time), the British Telegraph reported that Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, called President Zelensky right after the chaos of the White House meeting and urged him to return.
Prime Minister Starmer later called President Trump in an attempt to defuse the heated situation, but U.S. officials responded that outrage needed to subside before returning to the meeting, causing the mediation efforts to fail, the Telegraph reported.
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), publicly urged President Zelensky to reconcile with President Trump. Stoltenberg appeared on the BBC and noted that he had spoken with President Zelensky the previous day, stating that he must "find a way to restore relations with President Trump and the U.S. administration."
He also mentioned that President Trump was the one who supplied the Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine in 2019, adding, "I believe Trump should be recognized for what he did then, as well as what the U.S. has done and is still doing."
The previous day, President Trump told President Zelensky, who visited the White House, that when Zelensky repeatedly demanded U.S. security guarantees as conditions for a peace agreement, "You either agree, or we will withdraw."
He then accused Zelensky, saying, "You are playing cards. You are gambling with a third world war."
In response to President Trump's comments hinting at halting support for Ukraine, European leaders swiftly emphasized the solidarity and cooperation between the U.S. and Europe.
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, immediately proposed an emergency summit involving the U.S., Europe, and allies. She emphasized that "the division of the West will weaken us all and benefit those who wish to see the decline of our civilization." She added, "The principle that founded our civilization—freedom—must be prioritized over power or influence. Division benefits no one."
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote the previous day on his social media, "It was right for us to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago, and we continue to do so." He stated, "Here, "us" refers to the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan, and many others."
European leaders plan to hold a meeting in London, UK, on the 2nd to discuss the current situation. President Zelensky arrived in London on the 1st and was welcomed by Prime Minister Starmer. The UK decided to provide a loan of £2.26 billion (about 4.48 trillion won) to Ukraine.
President Zelensky stated that the loan would be used to produce weapons in Ukraine, saying, "This is the true justice that must be paid by those who started the war."