In a high-stakes geopolitical poker game, Europe is going all-in, betting that a united hand can beat Donald Trump’s pro-Russia agenda for Ukraine. A delegation of the continent’s top leaders has arrived in Washington, putting their collective credibility on the line to support Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This “bodyguard” mission is Europe’s boldest play yet. The leaders are wagering that their combined economic, military, and diplomatic weight is enough to force Trump to reconsider a peace plan that would see Kyiv fold and surrender territory.
The strength of their hand lies in its diversity. It includes the institutional might of NATO and the EU, represented by Rutte and von der Leyen. It has the royal flush of Europe’s major powers: France, Germany, the UK, and Italy. And it holds a few wild cards in leaders like Finland’s Stubb and Italy’s Meloni, who have unique personal connections to Trump.
The risk is enormous. If Trump dismisses them and pushes ahead, it could create a major transatlantic rift. But the European leaders have decided that the alternative—standing by while Ukraine is forced into a disastrous deal—is a far greater gamble with the future of their continent’s security.