European leaders in Washington on Monday rejected any pressure on Ukraine to cede territory in peace talks with Russia, insisting that Kyiv’s sovereignty and military strength must remain intact in any deal to end the war.

European leaders are to join the Ukrainian president during a visit that seeks a path to ending the war between Ukraine and Russia.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -German Chancellor Friedrich Merz credited U.S. President Donald Trump with persuading Russia's President to agree to a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart. This meeting, to which Vladimir Putin agreed during a phone call with Trump,

Melania Trump took the unique step of crafting a letter calling for peace in Ukraine, having her husband Donald Trump deliver it to Vladimir Putin.

President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington on Monday. Zelensky said he expects to discuss "key issues" at the meeting. It comes after Trump's Friday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

The highly anticipated summit ended without a breakthrough. Afterwards, Trump said Ukraine and Russia should proceed straight to seeking a full peace deal instead of a cease-fire.

The meeting represented a diplomatic victory for Putin after Western leaders ostracized him at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Just a week earlier, Trump was threatening him with new sanctions.