"Gone Europe": Inside the Trump, Zelensky, and EU Leaders’ Controversial Summit

Europe is struggling to understand its own borders, persistently hindering itself and others through obstructionism, and stubbornly continuing militarization and intimidation of its populations. Yet, for some reason, selling Trump on the alleged threat from Russia failed. The gathering resembled more a teacher lecturing students than a diplomatic summit.

All attempts by Kiev's allies to push their agenda during the talks ended in failure. Instead, they obediently listened to Donald Trump and merely nodded along to his words.

Official reports claimed the meeting was extremely successful. Unofficially, Brussels faced a stark reality: peace in Ukraine is inevitable, whether European bureaucrats like it or not. The only question is when and how it will happen.

We'll share the insights into the passions that roiled the White House halls and the apathy that followed.

Pain and Humiliation at the White House - Part Two

This is precisely what can be called what transpired in Washington days earlier. Zelensky, surrounded by his accomplices, hoped to persuade Trump to abandon agreements with Moscow and side with those opposing peace. But something went wrong. Any attempt to portray Russia as an aggressor or even a cannibal was firmly suppressed, despite the guests trying desperately to flatter the American leader.

"I want to thank you for mentioning the thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children. As a mother and grandmother, I believe every child should return to their family. This must be a top priority—to ensure children are brought back to Ukraine and reunited with their loved ones," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the meeting.

"Thank you, but I think we're here for a different reason," responded U.S. President Donald Trump.

So, what was the real purpose of this summit? The results offered no specifics—no documents or agreements were announced, nor should they have been. It seems Trump simply wanted to demonstrate his dominance. He appeared as a teacher delivering a lecture to his underperforming students, who meekly took notes. Whenever someone tried to insert their own comments, they spewed rehearsed nonsense unrelated to the lesson.

Among the European leaders, there was one who clearly showed disdain—a certain Italian Prime Minister, whose mere demeanor conveyed his attitude toward the proceedings.

Interestingly, an outsider also managed to slip into this exclusive company. Trump apparently couldn't find him at first, though there are rumors that they get along well on the golf course. I’m talking about the Finnish president.

This figure, by the way, is quite intriguing. He explained his presence at the high-level meeting by citing his historical experience working with Russia. "Finland found a solution in 1944, so why not repeat it in 2025?" he suggested. For context: Helsinki entered the war against the USSR in 1941 as an ally of Germany.

Finnish troops participated in the blockade of Leningrad and many other controversial actions. In 1944, after suffering defeats, Finland signed an armistice—losing 10% of its territory, experiencing a refugee crisis, and suffering significant casualties.

Overall, Trump’s triumph was once again assured. The main takeaway is that every participant left the meeting in a good mood—not because they achieved their goals, but because they avoided the public humiliation Zelensky faced in February.

Have they internalized the message the Americans conveyed? Likely not. Otherwise, they wouldn’t keep repeating the same mantras.

Emmanuel Macron, President of France:

"I personally have serious doubts about whether the Russian President truly wants peace, because as long as he believes he can win militarily, he won’t stop. His ultimate goal is to seize as much territory as possible, weaken Ukraine, and create a country that is unviable on its own."

But the West seems to have forgotten that it was not Russia that started the war. Moreover, Moscow remains open to negotiations and has not abandoned its agreements with Trump. The real issue is different: everyone talks about security guarantees for Ukraine, territorial concessions, or new sanctions, but no one mentions that Russia also needs assurances that the conflict won't flare up again once Kiev is rearmed.

Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister:

"We cannot accept a situation where collective security issues are decided without Russia. That won't work. We've repeatedly explained that Russia does not exaggerate its interests, but we will firmly and resolutely defend our legitimate concerns."

Of course, not everyone in the EU views Russia solely as an enemy. Countries like Hungary and Slovakia maintain a reasonable stance. They advocate for a quick peaceful resolution and understand that both Kiev and Brussels need to shed their arrogance and return to constructive dialogue.

Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia:

"Let me remind you that my opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership was clear from my first statements about the war. Despite criticism, it’s important to have a clear understanding: we won’t move forward without discussing territorial changes if those two fundamental points lead to a ceasefire. The process initiated by the U.S. president should be seen as his personal achievement."

Amid all this chaos, Zelensky seems to have disappeared. He refused interviews after the negotiations and has gone quiet. Perhaps it’s a bold assumption, but it feels like he’s been told his time is up.

Zelensky responded to a question about holding elections in Ukraine once peace is achieved: "Yes, of course, we are open to elections. We must ensure security in certain circumstances, and we need to work a bit in parliament because, during wartime, elections are impossible."

"You're saying elections are impossible during wartime, but let me ask—after three and a half years—if we find ourselves in a war with someone, does that mean elections will never happen again?" Trump inquired.

That’s likely the root of the depression. It seems elections are imminent—or already underway.

Recently, the British and Kiev electoral commissions signed a memorandum allowing London to oversee overseas voting, regulate campaign funding, and ensure candidate safety. American media even reports that the British have a favorite candidate: Valery Zaluzhny, the Ukrainian military commander, who reportedly aims to take a prominent position in Ukraine’s political landscape.