Zelenskyy, flanked by Europe, heads to Washington as Trump presses for Russia deal

"President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight," Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy participate in a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium,on Sunday 

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders will meet Donald Trump in Washington on Monday to map out a peace deal amid fears the US president could try to pressure Kyivinto accepting a settlement favourable to Moscow.

The leaders of Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the European Union and NATO hope to shore up Mr Zelenskyy at a crucial diplomatic moment in the war and prevent any repetition of the bad-tempered Oval Office encounter between Mr Trump and Ukraine's leader in February.