A number of European leaders are attending Monday's meeting between Trump and Zelenskyj at the White House in Washington – including the leaders of France, Germany and Italy as well as EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Nato chief Mark Rutte.
But the purpose of the European leaders attending is not that they want to prevent a situation of bullying of Zelenskyj from Trump's side, says US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a segment on the American news channel CBS News on Sunday.
It's a stupid narrative produced by the media. They come here because they have chosen to do so and because President Trump has invited them to come, says Rubio.
When Zelenskyj last visited the White House, he was met with harsh words from Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who among other things demanded that he show gratitude for the fact that the US helped Ukraine.
The US has been working with the European leaders for weeks with the goal of reaching a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, according to Rubio. When asked if the US has demanded a withdrawal of Russia from the areas occupied by Russia in Ukraine, Rubio's answer is:
To get an end to the war, both sides must compromise.
That the EU is putting economic pressure on Russia by presenting a new sanctions package against the country in September, Marco Rubio does not believe is the right way to get an end to the war.
Sanctions are an obstacle to peace between Ukraine and Russia, he says.
