European leaders are preparing to travel to Washington early this week for talks on how to end the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump announced, signaling a potential diplomatic push as the conflict grinds into its third year.
Trump, who has often sought to cast himself as the only figure able to strike a deal with Moscow, said he would also speak “soon” with President Vladimir Putin. His comments came just days after Russia carried out its most intense aerial assault since the start of the invasion, firing more than 800 drones and missiles across Ukraine and striking a government complex in Kyiv for the first time. Four people were killed.
“I’m not happy with the whole situation,” Trump told reporters, adding that unnamed European leaders would arrive “individually” in Washington on Monday or Tuesday. He offered no further detail, leaving uncertain which capitals were sending envoys.
The attack underscored Ukraine’s vulnerability even as it looks to its allies for greater support. President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking in an interview, urged European nations to stop purchasing Russian oil and gas, which remain a crucial lifeline for Moscow. “We can’t have any deals with Russia if we want to stop them,” he said.
Since Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska last month, Russia has intensified its strikes. At the same time, the U.S. administration has begun preparing a second phase of sanctions aimed at cutting off Moscow’s energy revenue. Zelensky endorsed Trump’s plan to impose secondary tariffs on countries that continue to trade with Russia, calling it “the right idea.”
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The stakes are high: Russia has earned nearly $1 trillion in oil and gas sales since the invasion began, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. China and India remain Moscow’s largest customers. The European Union, while reducing its reliance, still imports some Russian energy and does not expect to end purchases fully until 2027.
Washington last month levied steep tariffs on Indian goods in response to its continued oil purchases, drawing a defiant response from New Delhi. Moscow, meanwhile, has pledged to expand gas exports to China.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that Europe’s cooperation on secondary sanctions will be decisive. “We are in a race,” he warned, “between how long Ukraine can hold out militarily and how long Russia can withstand economic pressure.”