Ukraine’s European allies, set to gather in London on Sunday, rallied behind President Volodymyr Zelensky after Donald Trump threw him out of the White House and accused him of not being “ready” for peace with Russia.
Stunned by Friday’s altercation in the Oval Office, which saw Zelensky depart the White House without signing an expected mineral deal, most European leaders rushed to his defence.
“You are not alone,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, fresh off his own visit to the White House, said he had spoken to both Trump and Zelensky following the clash and vowed “unwavering support” for Kyiv.
Representatives from more than a dozen European countries will convene in London for a summit on Sunday, which according to Downing Street will focus on shoring up support for “securing a just and enduring peace” in Ukraine.
The gathering will also address the need for Europe to increase defence cooperation amid fears over whether the United States will continue to support NATO.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said he is ready to “open the discussion” on a possible future European nuclear deterrent, following a request from Germany’s next leader Friedrich Merz.
Those concerns were only exacerbated Friday by the scene that played out in the White House where the years-long US policy of massive support for Ukraine collapsed in a shouting match.
During the clash, in front of US and international media, Trump and Vice President JD Vance shouted at Zelensky, accusing him of not being “thankful” and refusing to accept their proposed truce terms.
“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump said. “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out and I don’t think it’s going to be pretty”.
