From Brussels to the Beltway: Europe’s Leadership Rallies for Zelenskyy

The heart of European leadership has temporarily relocated from Brussels to the Washington Beltway, as a host of top officials and heads of state rally for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The delegation has arrived ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump to counter an expected push for a pro-Russia peace deal.
This “bodyguard” mission is a powerful display of the EU’s and NATO’s commitment to Ukraine. It aims to prevent Trump from pressuring Zelenskyy into a settlement that would require Kyiv to surrender sovereign territory.
Representing the Brussels-based institutions are NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Rutte brings his seasoned approach to managing Trump, while von der Leyen, who just hosted Zelenskyy in Brussels, brings a clear vision for a strong, independent Ukraine integrated with Europe.
They are joined by the leaders of the EU’s most powerful member states, including France’s Macron and Germany’s Merz. This comprehensive delegation, combining institutional and national power, ensures that the message from Europe is unified, coherent, and impossible for the White House to ignore.