European Leaders Set to Meet in the US Amid Intensified Conflict in Ukraine

Sat Sep 13 2025 21:19:41 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a significant diplomatic effort, European leaders are expected to visit the United States to discuss strategies for ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, as tensions escalate following Russia's largest aerial bombardment on the country.

European leaders will reportedly visit the US to negotiate strategies for halting the war in Ukraine, as President Trump signals readiness for further sanctions on Russia. Ukrainian President Zelensky supports increased sanctions against Russia, urging Europe to cease energy imports from the country. This meeting comes in the wake of Russia's recent intensified military actions, highlighting the urgent need for a diplomatic resolution.

European leaders will visit the United States on Monday or Tuesday to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine, Donald Trump has said.

The US president added that he would also speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin soon, indicating that his administration is poised to advance to a second phase of sanctions on Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his support for the sanctions, urging European nations to halt purchases of Russian energy.

This comes as Russia launched its largest aerial bombardment on Ukraine to date, resulting in four fatalities and for the first time hitting Ukraine's main government building in Kyiv.

After the assault, where Russia deployed at least 810 drones and 13 missiles, Trump voiced his dissatisfaction with the overall situation. Certain European leaders are coming over to our country on Monday or Tuesday individually, he mentioned, though unclear on specific identities.

Russia has ramped up its attacks on Ukraine following a recent summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska last month. Zelensky, in an interview with ABC News, stated that continued purchases of Russian oil and gas by European partners were not fair, advocating for a complete cessation of all energy dealings with Russia.

Zelensky praised Trump's proposal for imposing tariffs on countries maintaining trade with Russia, which he believes is essential for crippling Moscow's war funding. He emphasized, We have to stop [buying] any kind of energy from Russia. Any deals with Russia have to end if we are to stop them.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in March 2022, Russia has sold around $985 billion of oil and gas, primarily to China and India. The EU has reduced, but not eliminated, its purchases, with plans to cease entirely by 2027.

In a recent move, the US imposed 50% tariffs on goods from India due to its continued purchase of Russian oil, a position the Indian government defends as necessary for its economic interests.

As part of its outreach, Russia has committed to increasing gas supplies to China, complicating the global energy landscape.

Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed hopes for increased EU support in imposing secondary tariffs on nations buying Russian oil, claiming this strategy could lead to a collapse of the Russian economy and bring Putin to negotiations.

Bessent remarked, We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy hold up.