Just as reinforcements arrive on a battlefield, a powerful contingent of European leaders has arrived in Washington to reinforce Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their mission is to support him ahead of a challenging Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump over a contentious “peace plan.”
This “bodyguard” delegation is a strategic move to prevent Zelenskyy from being isolated and forced into a deal that would see Ukraine hand over territory to Russia. The memory of his last bruising encounter with Trump has made this show of force a necessity.
The reinforcements bring a diverse array of skills. There are the seasoned negotiators like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who can argue the strategic case against Trump’s plan. There are the relationship-builders like Finland’s Alexander Stubb and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, who have cultivated personal access to Trump.
And there are the staunch allies like UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose warm personal bond with Zelenskyy serves as a moral anchor. Together, this team provides Zelenskyy with the political and diplomatic backup he needs to stand firm in the face of immense pressure.