Our main focus still lies on the fallout from President Donald Trump’s meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska over the weekend, from which he emerged with no solid concessions from Russia but new demands, apparently, for Ukraine.

Trump labelled Tuesday a “big day at the White House,” ahead of his meetings with Ukrainian President Zelensky and European leaders.“A big day at the White House,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We have never had so many European Leaders here at one time. A great honour for America!!! Let’s see what the results will be.”

On Sundaay, Trump wrote: “President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.

“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.”

The latter point, in particular, is a key demand in negotiations for Putin.

There are signs that Europe is uneasy about Mr Trump’s latest flip flop.

On Monday, US time – likely the early hours of Tuesday in Australia – Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet Mr Trump at the White House, the site of their unedifying spat earlier in the year.

In that incident, broadcast live from the Oval Office, Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky he had “no cards”, and Vice President J.D. Vance berated Ukraine’s leader for being insufficiently grateful for America’s support.

Perhaps seeking to avoid a repeat of that confrontation, and perhaps in a sign that he’s newly worried about Mr Trump’s stance on the war, Mr Zelensky has requested that senior European leaders accompany him on this trip.

And they have risen to the call. European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni are all going to be with Mr Zelensky, a formidable show of force on his behalf.

Read on for the latest updates.