Zelensky Arrives in U.S.: "Hoping for a Trustworthy End to the War"

Zelensky Arrives in Washington
Calls for "Sustained Peace" and Strong Security Guarantees
European Leaders Coordinate Ahead of White House Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is speaking at a press conference with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in Brussels, Belgium, on the 17th (local time). Photo by EPA Yonhap News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington, D.C., on the 17th (local time), a day before scheduled discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding a possible end to the war.

In a Telegram message released immediately after his arrival in the U.S., President Zelensky stated, "Tomorrow, I will speak with President Trump. I am grateful for President Trump's invitation," adding, "We all want this war to end quickly and in a trustworthy manner."

He emphasized, "Peace must be sustained," and continued, "It must be different from several years ago when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and parts of eastern Donbas. It must also be different from 1994, when we received 'security guarantees' that ultimately failed to function."

Ukraine was forcibly annexed by Russia in 2014 when it lost control over Crimea. In 1994, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum, relinquishing its nuclear weapons in exchange for guarantees of its territorial integrity and sovereignty. However, these promises were not upheld in the face of Russia's subsequent invasion.

President Zelensky added, "Russia must end this war that it started," and expressed hope that "with the combined strength of the United States, our European allies, and ourselves, we can pressure Russia to agree to genuine peace."

According to the U.S. congressional media outlet Roll Call, President Zelensky will hold a bilateral meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office at 1:15 p.m. on the 18th. Afterwards, at 2:15 p.m., he is expected to meet with leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and other European countries.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the leaders of major European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, held a virtual meeting with President Zelensky to coordinate their positions prior to visiting the White House. According to Reuters, during the approximately two-hour meeting, the participating countries reaffirmed the need to guarantee Ukraine's and Europe's participation in negotiations, to halt the violence in Ukraine, and to ensure strong U.S. security guarantees.

Arianna Podesta, Deputy Spokesperson for the European Commission, stated, "The discussions focused on halting the violence, maintaining pressure on Russia through sanctions, guaranteeing Ukraine's right to determine its own territory, and ensuring robust security guarantees." She added, "This meeting also served as a demonstration of unity in support of a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine."