European leaders rally around Zelensky after Trump meeting

Deeq A. · 2025-03-02T22:03:05Z

The impact of the war in Ukraine on global politics continues to dominate the headlines, with all eyes on a series of meetings with Donald Trump this week.

From shouting matches sending shockwaves across the world, to Sunday’s defence summit, there has been plenty to keep up with in this fast-moving situation.

Here are five key moments you may have missed as the situation shows no sign of moving off the front pages.

Trump-Zelensky meeting ends in disaster

Washington, DC - February 28 : President Donald J Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday, Feb 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

A meeting between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ended in a shouting match. (Getty) (The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky blew up into a public row as the US President and his deputy JD Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of gambling with a third world war.

The US leaders claimed Zelensky was “disrespectful” and “ungrateful”, with the globally televised meeting descending into a shouting match.

The Ukrainian president left without having signed a deal key in securing US help in ending the war with Russia, and has since refused to apologise.

Read the full story from the Independent here

Zelensky says relationship with Trump can be salvaged

Despite their heated meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky said he was hopeful he can salvage his relationship with Donald Trump.

Asked if the situation was recoverable the row in an interview with Fox News, he said: “Yes, of course. It’s more than two presidents. The historical relations, strong relations, between our people.”

“This is the most important – and of course [we’re] thankful to the president and to Congress – but first of all to your people. Your people helped to save our people.”

Read the full story from the Independent here

European leaders rally around Zelensky after Trump meeting

European leaders rallied around Ukraine after the disastrous White House meeting, sending messages of support for the country in its war with Russia.

Leaders including Poland and Spain’s prime ministers sent messages of solidarity, with the former saying: “Dear Volodymyr Zelensky, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone”, while the latter wrote on X: “Spain stands with you”.

French president Emmanuel Macron – who recently met with Trump himself – said: “I think we were all right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago, and to continue to do so. We, that is the United States of America, the Europeans, the Canadians, the Japanese and many others. And we must thank all those who have helped and respect those who have been fighting since the beginning.”

Read the full story from the Telegraph here

European leaders meet in London for defence summit

Leaders prepare to hold a plenary meeting at a summit held at Lancaster House in central London on March 2, 2025. European leaders descend upon London today for talks to

European leaders met in central London on Sunday for talks to “drive forward” action on Ukraine. (AFP) (CHRISTOPHE ENA via Getty Images)

European leaders met in central London for a defence summit on Sunday following Sir Keir Starmer’s call for leaders to join a “coalition of the willing”.

Speaking after the summit, he said European powers must realise it is “not a moment for more talk, it is time to act”. Addressing journalists, he warned the West stands at a “crossroads in history” and announced a £1.6bn finance deal which will allow Ukraine to buy more than 5,000 missiles.

He also rejected suggestions that the US is an “unreliable ally”, saying: The US has been a reliable ally to the UK for many, many decades, and continues to be.”