European leaders turned their attention to long-term security guarantees for Ukraine on Tuesday, following a series of hastily convened meetings in Washington that produced symbolic displays of unity but few concrete steps toward ending the war with Russia.
The consultations came a day after President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met at the White House, joined by several European heads of government.
While the discussions underscored Western support for Kyiv, they offered little in terms of a clear path to peace.
The leaders of the European Union’s 27 member states held a videoconference to assess the talks, while Britain, France, and Germany separately convened on how to structure protective measures for Ukraine as part of any eventual settlement.
Proposals under consideration included an international monitoring force to be stationed in Ukraine after a cease-fire or peace agreement, potentially ranging from a small oversight mission to a sizable defensive deployment.
The urgency of securing Kyiv’s defenses was underscored overnight as Russia launched a massive wave of drone and missile strikes, damaging critical energy infrastructure and injuring civilians.
Ukrainian officials reported that at least 14 people had been killed in earlier strikes.
Although President Zelensky pointed to progress on security assurances, including a proposed $90 billion weapons purchase from the United States through European channels and reciprocal U.S. commitments to buy Ukrainian-made drones, he left Washington without a formal agreement.
Significant gaps remain between Russia’s insistence on territorial concessions and Ukraine’s demand for a cease-fire to halt Moscow’s deadly assaults.
President Trump has pushed for a rapid settlement, suggesting that peace could be achieved without an immediate truce. However, seven European leaders intervened during Monday’s talks to stress the importance of a pause in hostilities to protect civilians and give Kyiv greater leverage in negotiations.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, has rejected calls for a cease-fire, with President Vladimir Putin reiterating his stance during a recent meeting with Trump in Alaska.
Following Monday’s White House session, Trump and Putin spoke by phone for about 40 minutes in what Russian officials described as constructive.
Moscow indicated that senior negotiators would be appointed for direct talks with Ukraine, though no commitment was made for Putin to participate personally.
As diplomatic maneuvering continues, the battlefield reality remains grim. Russian forces are making incremental gains, leaving Ukraine in urgent need of stronger security guarantees from its allies to prevent further escalation and safeguard any eventual peace deal.
