Thread by @JPLindsley

1/ Yesterday, the White House was the stage set of the most important reality show on Earth.

Here’s the key idea from EACH foreign leader in the room—you won’t find this anywhere else ... 🧵⤵️

2/ @realDonaldTrump won the presidency because he understands optics.

He favors talks in front of cameras so Americans see what’s at stake.

Yesterday, key European leaders—including Zelenskyy—were speaking not just to Trump, but to America. ⤵️

3/ Like the nine in Tolkien’s Fellowship, nine leaders, Trump included, gathered in the White House.

The clear message: NATO or not, Ukraine—whose fight has made everyone else safer—must have Article-5-style defense guarantees.

From Italy to Finland, here’s what they said ⤵️

4/ 🇮🇹 Italy’s @GiorgiaMeloni: “We are on the side of Ukraine.”

She thanked Trump for shaking things up enough to open space for peace talks.

And crucially—she thanked Ukrainians for holding the line these past three years while the world decided what to do. ⤵️

5/ 🇫🇮 Finland’s U.S.-educated President Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) reminded his golfing buddy Trump that Finland, all alone, stopped Russia in 1944.

“It’s Team Europe and Team United States helping Ukraine. The situation is very difficult—but that’s why we are here.” ⤵️

6/ 🇩🇪 Germany’s Chancellor @_FriedrichMerz was, unsurprisingly, sharp and disciplined:

1. A path to peace is open now.
2. Next steps will be complicated.
3. A ceasefire at the latest before we meet again.
4. Pressure Russia.
5. Credibility depends on achieving a ceasefire. ⤵️

7/ 🇪🇺 Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen), the EU Commission President, is a medical doctor, Lutheran, mother of 7—and the woman who negotiated "the largest trade deal ever" with Trump.

Yesterday, she demanded: Putin must return Ukraine’s kidnapped children, to start. ⤵️

8/ 🇳🇱 Mark Rutte (@SecGenNATO), NATO’s secretary-general and former Dutch PM, bluntly said it was Trump’s actions that broke the deadlock on Ukraine.

A year ago, such conversations really did seem impossible. ⤵️

9/ 🇬🇧 UK Prime Minister Sir @Keir_Starmer was a bit more rambling—but he said even if Ukraine isn’t in NATO, it deserves NATO-style guarantees.

Trump nodded approval. He loves Sir Keir's accent. ⤵️

10/ 🇫🇷 French President @EmmanuelMacron, whom Trump said has become a real friend, had his usual powerful words:

Europe NEEDS Ukraine’s army, he said. It's necessary for "a robust peace."

"A credible Ukrainian army ... for decades to come" is the first security guarantee. ⤵️

11/ 🇺🇦 And then Ukraine's President Zelenskyy (@ZelenskyyUa):

"We all want to stop Russia. ... This is very important that the United States gives such a strong signal for security guarantees."

"Bring the kids back [so they can] be happy. ... But also [our] warriors." ⤵️

12/ Zelenskyy joked with Trump too, a sign of a better relationship:

"Thank you for the map. It was great! I'm thinking how to take it back." ⤵️

13/ From Kyiv, I’ll tell you: This was a helluva improvement from the miserable optics of February.

The Fellowship of Freedom is forming. The path will be hard. But yesterday, the world saw a united table.

And I'm sure Russia felt the pressure. They will of course respond. ⤵️

14/ The key: Zelenskyy must realize when he speaks to Trump, he is speaking to America.

In the Oval Office, Trump admitted Zelenskyy has been through hell. Zelenskyy could have replied:

“So have you, Mr. President. They shot at you too.”

But for now at least—progress. 🧵🎬