European Leaders Prepare Strong Ukraine Message Before NATO Summit
European allies aim to signal renewed unity on Ukraine ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, as Trump praises Zelenskyy's resilience against Russia.
Marcus Reeve
Writer ·
European allies are seeking to send what Germany's chancellor called a strong signal of support for Ukraine ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.
The Guardian reported that Donald Trump described Volodymyr Zelenskyy as doing "pretty well" and "holding his own" against Russia, a notable softening of his earlier public scepticism.
A diplomatic push
The core of the story is diplomatic: Ukraine's battlefield resilience is being matched by European efforts to keep pressure on Moscow and maintain Western coordination.
Germany hosted leaders from France, Britain, Italy and Poland, while NATO secretary general Mark Rutte joined the discussions by video link.
“Zelenskyy is doing pretty well and holding his own against Russia.”
— Donald Trump
What happens next
With the situation still fluid, allies hope the gathering in Ankara will project a renewed message of unity and sustained backing for Kyiv.
Referenced coverage: Our reporting and analysis draws on coverage first reported by The Guardian. The NE Times publishes original reporting and independent analysis written by our editorial team. We credit and link the outlets whose primary reporting informed this article.
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