Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travels to Washington for a second White House visit, this time with a high-profile European delegation. Britain’s Keir Starmer, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and France’s Emmanuel Macron accompany him as Kyiv seeks to offset perceived weaknesses in Ukraine’s security outlook following Friday’s Trump–Putin summit in Alaska. The guests bring a mix of economic and military influence and, officials hope, a direct line to President Donald Trump, whose stance toward Moscow appears to have shifted in the immediate aftermath of the Arctic talks. The aim is to demonstrate unity and resolve that might sway U.S. policy back toward a firmer approach to Russia. Analysts note that the visiting leaders must present a coherent, shared strategy to persuade Trump to maintain a hard line on Ukraine. Ben Rhodes, a former Obama adviser, cautions that only a clearly articulated and united stance from Europe and Kyiv will style the necessary credibility with the U.S. president. Zelenskyy’s Washington visit thus becomes a test of whether Western diplomacy can realign American policy in support of Ukraine’s security guarantees amid the fallout from the Alaska summit.

Source: Full Article The Guardian