Washington is the arena for a major transatlantic test of wills this week, as Europe’s leaders have arrived to challenge Donald Trump’s vision for Ukraine’s future. They are in the city to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is facing pressure from Trump to accept a pro-Russia peace settlement.
This “bodyguard” mission is a clear demonstration of European resolve. The allies are determined to prevent a scenario where Zelenskyy is bullied into ceding territory, an outcome they view as a catastrophic failure of Western policy.
The European delegation brings a full arsenal of diplomatic tools. There is the economic leverage of the EU, articulated by Ursula von der Leyen, who will remind Trump of their massive trade partnership. There is the military-strategic weight of NATO, represented by Mark Rutte, who will appeal to shared security interests.
And there is the combined political clout of Europe’s major powers. The leaders of France, Germany, the UK, and Italy will collectively argue that a peace deal that sacrifices Ukraine’s sovereignty is not a peace deal at all, but a temporary truce that invites future conflict. This test of wills will determine the direction of transatlantic policy for years to come.
