US President Donald Trump has told Ukraine to give up hopes of getting back annexed Crimea or joining NATO as he prepares to host President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders in Washington.
After rolling out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, Trump is leaning on Ukraine to accept a deal to end Europe's deadliest war in 80 years, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
Trump will meet Zelenskiy first on Monday afternoon, US time, and then the leaders of Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the European Union and NATO, the White House said.
The European leaders are flying to Washington to show solidarity with Ukraine and to press for strong security guarantees in any post-war settlement.
Trump's team stressed there had to be compromises on both sides. But Trump put the burden on Zelenskiy to end the war that Russia began with its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
That, along with his comments on NATO and Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014 during Barack Obama's presidency, suggested he would press Zelenskiy hard at Monday's meeting.
Zelenskiy "can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight," Trump said on Truth Social.
"Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE."
Ukraine and its allies have long feared that Trump could press an agreement favourable to Moscow. However they have taken heart from some developments, including Trump's apparent willingness to provide post-settlement security guarantees for Ukraine.
However, Zelenskiy has already all but rejected the outline of Putin's proposals from the Alaska meeting, including for Ukraine to give up the rest of its eastern Donetsk region, of which it currently controls a quarter.
Zelenskiy is also seeking an immediate ceasefire to conduct deeper peace talks. Trump previously backed that but reversed course after the summit with Putin and indicated support for Russia's favoured approach of negotiating a comprehensive deal while fighting rumbles on.
Trump will meet first with Zelenskiy at 1.15pm on Monday (3.15am Tuesday AEST) in the Oval Office and then with all the European leaders together in the White House's East Room at 3pm (5am AEST), the White House said.
The Ukrainian president, seeking to avoid a repeat of the bad-tempered Oval Office meeting he had with Trump in February, said after arriving in Washington he was grateful to Trump for the invitation.
"We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app. "Russia must end this war — the war it started. And I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace."
Russia launched missiles and drones in overnight attacks that included strikes on Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv, near the Russian border, which killed seven people, including two children, officials said.
On the battlefield Russia has been slowly grinding forward, pressing home its advantages in men and firepower. Putin says he is ready to continue fighting until his military objectives are achieved.
"D-Day at the White House" said Britain's Daily Mail, while the Daily Mirror said "Europe takes a stand" in its front page headline. Germany's Die Welt called it the "moment of truth" for the US president.
"It is probably not an exaggeration to say the whole world is looking to Washington," Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said at a press briefing.