Takeaways from Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy and Europeans: Praise, security talks, more meetings

WASHINGTON (AP) — During their second meeting in the Oval Office this year, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would be willing to support European efforts to police any peace deal in Ukraine, while its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude and wore dressier clothes.

And Vice President JD Vance kept his mouth shut.

As Trump hosted Zelenskyy and top European leaders to energize months of stalled U.S.-led efforts to halt Russia's 3 1/2-year-old war, the tone and style of the sit-down was far different than when Ukraine's president was hounded out of the White House in February.

Following the talks, Trump called and spoke at length to Russian President Vladimir Putin who got the red carpet treatment at a summit with Trump last Friday in Alaska, to discuss the extraordinary gathering of allies. Trump said he would now work to arrange a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin.

Here are key takeaways:

A central question for peace talks is how to prevent further Russian aggression in the future.

Trump has ruled out allowing Ukraine to join NATO, which would extend the military alliance’s protection to the besieged country. He did, however, express support for security guarantees for Ukraine — though details remain vague.

European countries “want to give protection and they feel very strongly about it and we’ll help them out with that,” Trump said.

That pleased Zelenskyy, who said the U.S. was offering "such (a) strong signal.”

With Europeans looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement in Ukraine, Trump suggested that Putin would be open to accepting security guarantees. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Sunday that Moscow was open to accepting NATO-style protections for Ukraine.

European leaders applauded that notion, and the larger meaning it would carry.

“When we speak about security guarantees, we speak about the whole security of the European continent," French President Emmanuel Macron said.

Macron said talks to determine what the U.S. is willing to provide will start as soon as Tuesday.

The Europeans came to show a united front on Ukraine, and many used public comments to heap praise on Trump. That was striking given tensions over Trump’s threats to impose steep tariffs and other issues.

Ahead of their meeting, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called Trump “dear Donald” and said of fighting in Ukraine: ”If we play this well, we could end it.” In an interview later with Fox News Channel, Rutte called Trump “amazing” and said potential swaps of Ukrainian territory weren’t discussed.

"First, we need full clarity on security guidelines,” Rutte said. Though Ukraine might not have NATO membership, he noted, there would be discussions for security guarantees similar to those extended to members of the alliance.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after the meeting that there was “real progress” and a “real sense of unity.”

Before the leaders spoke privately at the White House, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said all the parties were working together on “a just and lasting peace.”

Offering a more measured tone was German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said “the path is open now” to halting the fighting but next steps are “more complicated.”

“Let’s try to put pressure on Russia,” Merz said, adding that he would like to see a ceasefire come together.

Trump was noncommittal, saying, “If we can do the ceasefire, great,” but suggested it was far from a dealbreaker. He dropped his push for a ceasefire after Friday's summit, aligning with Putin’s position that negotiations should focus on a long-term peace settlement instead.

The good feelings extended to Zelenskyy and Trump. After Ukraine’s leader praised the “very good conversation” with Trump, the U.S. president responded, “Great remarks. I appreciated it.”

Speaking to reporters Monday night, Merz said the Russian demand that Ukraine give up unconquered parts of its eastern Donbas region to end the fighting would be equivalent to the U.S. giving up Florida.

The meeting with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday was dramatically different than six months ago, when Trump and Vance harangued Zelenskyy for not being thankful enough for U.S. military support.

Trump even seemed to relish a reporter from a conservative outlet asking then why Zelenskyy wasn’t wearing a suit at the White House.

Ukraine's leader came prepared this time, wearing a black shirt and blazer. The same reporter told Zelenskyy, “You look fabulous," and Trump responded, “I said the same thing.”

Then Trump said to Zelenskyy: "That’s the one that attacked you last time.” The Ukrainian president said he remembered, then playfully needled his questioner.

“You are in the same suit,” Zelenskyy said as laughter rippled through the room. “I changed. You did not.”

Ukraine's president usually appears in a trademark hoodie or T-shirt — a show of solidarity with Ukrainian forces on the front lines.

Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to the U.S. and European allies for supporting his country, and repeatedly thanked first lady Melania Trump for sending a letter to Putin about stopping the killing of children during the war.

In the Oval Office, Vance gave no public comments.

Trump, who bragged on numerous occasions during the campaign that he could settle Russia's war in Ukraine in a day, said repeatedly Monday that it was far more complicated than he ever thought it would be.

But he also suggested — likely implausibly — that the fighting that has raged for years could wind down quickly.

“A week or two weeks, we’ll know whether we’re going to solve this, or if this horrible fighting is going to continue,” said Trump, even suggesting the issues yet to be hammered out weren’t “overly complex.”

Still, much remains unresolved, including red lines that are incompatible — like whether Ukraine will cede any land to Russia, the future of Ukraine’s army and whether the country will ultimately have lasting and meaningful security guarantees.

Trump said he had begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. But Russian foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said only that Putin and Trump had a 40-minute phone call and “spoke in favor” of continuing direct talks between the sides, Russian state news agency Tass reported.

Outside the White House, Zelenskyy said no date had been set for such a meeting but that the U.S. suggested it be as soon as possible.

“But for that, agreement of all sides is needed,” he said. He added that the question of territory “is a matter that we will leave between me and Putin.”

Though many European leaders oppose forgoing a possible ceasefire on the road to seeking lasting peace, they have supported a meeting by Trump, Zelenskyy and Putin in the meantime. Macron suggested that another summit could feature the three presidents and also top European leaders.

“The idea of trilateral meeting is very important, because this is the only way to fix it," the French president said.

President Donald Trump, center, speaks as from foreground right, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finland's President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and from center right, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, France's President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer participate in a meeting as Vice President JD Vance, from background right, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff listen in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Monica Crowley, White House chief of protocol, from right, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte walk through the Cross Hall of the White House, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, a Russian Army BM-21 "Grad" self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian position in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

A rescuer carries a body of child from a residential building damaged by a Russia's missile attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, A Russian soldier launches a drone in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Firefighters evacuate a cat during search and rescue works in the damaged residential building following Russia's missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

Rescuers evacuate an injured civilian after a residential building was hit following Russia's missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — Troops from several European countries continued to arrive in Greenland on Thursday in a show of support for Denmark as talks between representatives of Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. highlighted “fundamental disagreement” over the future of the Arctic island.

Denmark announced it would increase its military presence in Greenland on Wednesday as foreign ministers from Denmark and Greenland were preparing to meet with White House representatives in Washington. Several European partners — including France, Germany, the U.K., Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands — started sending symbolic numbers of troops already on Wednesday or promised to do so in the following days.

The troop movements were intended to portray unity among Europeans and send a signal to President Donald Trump that an American takeover of Greenland is not necessary as NATO together can safeguard the security of the Arctic region amid rising Russian and Chinese interest.

“The first French military elements are already en route” and “others will follow,” French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday, as French authorities said about 15 soldiers from the mountain infantry unit were already in Nuuk for a military exercise.

Germany will deploy a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel to Greenland on Thursday, the Defense Ministry said.

On Thursday, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the intention was “to establish a more permanent military presence with a larger Danish contribution,” according to Danish broadcaster DR. He said soldiers from several NATO countries will be in Greenland on a rotation system.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, flanked by his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt, said Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with Trump after they held highly anticipated talks at the White House with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rasmussen added that it remains “clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland” but that dialogue with the U.S. would continue at a high level over the following weeks.

Inhabitants of Greenland and Denmark reacted with anxiety but also some relief that negotiations with the U.S. would go on and European support was becoming visible.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the continuation of “dialogue and diplomacy.”

“Greenland is not for sale,” he said Thursday. “Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed from the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States.”

In Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, local residents told The Associated Press they were glad the first meeting between Greenlandic, Danish and American officials had taken place but suggested it left more questions than answers.

Several people said they viewed Denmark’s decision to send more troops, and promises of support from other NATO allies, as protection against possible U.S. military action. But European military officials have not suggested the goal is to deter a U.S. move against the island.

Maya Martinsen, 21, said it was “comforting to know that the Nordic countries are sending reinforcements” because Greenland is a part of Denmark and NATO.

The dispute, she said, is not about “national security” but rather about “the oils and minerals that we have that are untouched.”

On Wednesday, Poulsen announced a stepped-up military presence in the Arctic “in close cooperation with our allies,” calling it a necessity in a security environment in which “no one can predict what will happen tomorrow.”

“This means that from today and in the coming time there will be an increased military presence in and around Greenland of aircraft, ships and soldiers, including from other NATO allies,” Poulsen said.

Asked whether the European troop movements were coordinated with NATO or what role the U.S.-led military alliance might play in the exercises, NATO referred all questions to the Danish authorities. However, NATO is currently studying ways to bolster security in the Arctic.

The Russian embassy in Brussels on Thursday lambasted what it called the West's “bellicose plans” in response to “phantom threats that they generate themselves”. It said the planned military actions were part of an “anti-Russian and anti-Chinese agenda” by NATO.

“Russia has consistently maintained that the Arctic should remain a territory of peace, dialogue and equal cooperation," the embassy said.

Rasmussen announced the creation of a working group with the Americans to discuss ways to work through differences.

“The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said.

Commenting on the outcome of the Washington meeting on Thursday, Poulsen said the working group was “better than no working group” and “a step in the right direction.” He added nevertheless that the dialogue with the U.S. did not mean “the danger has passed.”

Speaking on Thursday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the American ambition to take over Greenland remains intact despite the Washington meeting, but she welcomed the creation of the working group.

The most important thing for Greenlanders is that they were directly represented at the meeting in the White House and that “the diplomatic dialogue has begun now,” Juno Berthelsen, a lawmaker for the pro-independence Naleraq opposition party, told AP.

A relationship with the U.S. is beneficial for Greenlanders and Americans and is “vital to the security and stability of the Arctic and the Western Alliance,” Berthelsen said. He suggested the U.S. could be involved in the creation of a coast guard for Greenland, providing funding and creating jobs for local people who can help to patrol the Arctic.

Line McGee, 38, from Copenhagen, told AP that she was glad to see some diplomatic progress. “I don’t think the threat has gone away,” she said. “But I feel slightly better than I did yesterday.”

Trump, in his Oval Office meeting with reporters, said: “We’ll see how it all works out. I think something will work out.”

Niemann reported from Copenhagen, Denmark, and Ciobanu from Warsaw, Poland.

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt speak at a news conference at the Embassy of Denmark, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

People walk on a street in Nuuk, Greenland, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

From center to right, Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, Denmark's Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen, rear, and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, right, arrive on Capitol Hill to meet with senators from the Arctic Caucus, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

An Airbus A400M transport aircraft of the German Air Force taxis over the grounds at Wunstorf Air Base in the Hanover region, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026 as troops from NATO countries, including France and Germany, are arriving in Greenland to boost security. (Moritz Frankenberg/dpa via AP)

Fishermen load fishing lines into a boat in the harbor of Nuuk, Greenland, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, left, and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, arrive on Capitol Hill to meet with members of the Senate Arctic Caucus, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)