European Stocks Trade Mixed as Trump-Zelenskyy Talks on Ukraine Peace Loom

European markets opened mixed on Monday as investors awaited a high-stakes White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and top European leaders. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index hovered flat in early trading, with no clear direction across sectors or major regional exchanges.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are accompanying Zelenskyy to Washington for the talks, which are expected to center on a potential peace deal to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The discussions come amid growing pressure on Kyiv to consider negotiations after months of stalled progress on the battlefield.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested Zelenskyy could “end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.” His remarks underline U.S. pressure on Ukraine to explore diplomatic compromises. The meeting follows Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday, where no ceasefire was agreed, though Putin reportedly indicated readiness to end hostilities if Russia gained control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

Adding to speculation, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that Washington may offer Ukraine new security guarantees as part of a broader deal. Such assurances could play a key role in shaping negotiations, though Kyiv has consistently rejected territorial concessions to Moscow. The stakes are high as Zelenskyy weighs international pressure against domestic resistance to compromise.

Global market sentiment reflected the geopolitical uncertainty. Asia-Pacific stocks rose overnight, while U.S. futures edged higher on optimism over possible interest rate cuts following Wall Street’s strong performance last week. In Europe, traders are also monitoring economic data releases, including Spanish and EU trade balance figures, though corporate earnings remain thin at the start of the week.

Source: cnbc