Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is continuing a series of high-profile meetings with allies as his country pushes to end Russia’s occupation of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy met with Italy’s prime minister, following an earlier meeting with Pope Leo. Ukraine has said it will soon present the White House with a revised peace plan. Zelenskyy has stood firm against U.S. pressure to cede some land to Russia as a way to bring the war to an end.
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“Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anything. That’s what we are fighting for," Zelenskyy said in a WhatsApp chat late Monday, according to The Associated Press.
President Donald Trump, however, has been critical of Europe’s role in the war. In a recent interview with Politico, Trump said some European nations are “decaying,” led by “weak” leaders who seek to be “politically correct.” He also accused European leaders of talking a lot about Ukraine but failing to act.
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President Trump's remarks came just days after the United States released its National Security Strategy, which accused Europe of facing “civilizational erasure.” The document suggested growing U.S. concerns about Europe’s strength and reliability.
Several European Union politicians have pushed back on that characterization, saying it is not the way allies should speak about one another.
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