Brussels/Washington, August 18, 2025 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Europe to remain steadfast against what he described as Russia’s “anti-European war,” even as doubts mount over Washington’s and Europe’s ability to force Moscow into a ceasefire.
Fresh from a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels, Zelenskyy warned that unity was more crucial than ever, recalling the continent’s resolve at the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. “It’s crucial that Europe is as united now as it was at the very beginning,” he said. “First, we have to stop the killings … Putin does not want to stop the killing, but he must do it.”
His appeal comes on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump’s summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week — a meeting that was billed as a breakthrough but delivered little substance. Trump had initially suggested he would push Putin toward a ceasefire, yet after hours of talks in Anchorage he dropped the language entirely, instead declaring he wanted to go “straight to a deal.”
The pivot has unnerved Kyiv and its allies. For Ukraine, any deal without an immediate ceasefire risks giving Russia the breathing space to consolidate gains and press further offensives. “We need real negotiations, which means they can start where the frontline is now,” Zelenskyy said. “The contact line is the best line for talking.”
Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs and sanctions to squeeze Moscow, but so far has proven unable — or unwilling — to compel Putin to halt his war. European leaders, for their part, have also shown their limits: despite sanctions packages and military support, they have not been able to pressure the Kremlin into laying down arms.
Von der Leyen underscored Europe’s longer-term strategy, saying Ukraine must be made “a steel porcupine, undigestible to potential invaders.” She ruled out territorial concessions, insisting, “International borders cannot be changed by force; these are decisions to be made by Ukraine and Ukraine alone.”
On Monday, Zelenskyy is expected at the White House alongside von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and other European leaders — a rare show of Western unity aimed at coordinating strategy with Trump. But the timing reflects deep unease: while Europe and the U.S. rally in Washington, Russian forces continue to pound Ukrainian cities, underscoring how little leverage the West currently holds over Moscow.
For Zelenskyy, the stakes are existential. His message to allies was unambiguous: Europe cannot afford division, and the United States cannot afford delay. As he put it, “It is impossible to reach peace under the pressure of weapons.”
