European leaders looked like schoolchildren as they sat huddled around Donald Trump during crunch talks over the war in Ukraine, critics said after the White House shared photos from Monday’s Oval Office meeting.
In the picture, which has gone viral on social media, critics have said EU leaders were made to look like school children while sitting and listening attentively to the US president at his summit with Ukraine‘s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Monday.
The photo-op included British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
They were joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
American commentator and YouTuber Benny Johnson posted the picture on X and wrote: ‘ The single most powerful image of 2025: President Trump at the Resolute Desk with world leaders crowding around him, just listening. Nothing else comes close.’
His sentiments were echoed by several social media users, some who accused Trump of setting up the picture as a power play.
Ashok Swain, a professor said: ‘Europe’s ‘most powerful’ leaders sat like obedient pupils as Donald Trump held court in the Oval Office. Does this look Europe to Europeans?’
One user said: ‘All of them came to support Zelensky and not Trump.’
A new picture showing European leaders hanging on Donald Trump’s every word while sitting around the Resolute Desk has been criticised as a display of power
Another said: ‘We are watching history being made right in front of our eyes. Look at all the world leaders in the Oval Office with all eyes on Trump.’
A third, joking about Trump and the US’s authority, said: ‘He called them over the weekend and said, ‘Be here on Monday.’ They all showed up. America is back.’
Meanwhile, others saw a different perspective. A commenter wrote: ‘Their body language suggests that they are not there to glean from his wisdom. More like ‘This is the best the USA has to offer’?
Meanwhile, the White House’s X account posted the picture and said Trump was ‘the president of peace.’
The gathering came after Trump’s historic summit with Russia’s president, Putin at Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday.
It was to discuss a way forward to end the war in Ukraine, which has been raging on since February 2022.
After the meeting, Trump announced that plans were underway for a trilateral meeting involving himself, Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, although Moscow’s response remained cautious.
Zelensky expressed optimism and gratitude, while European leaders reiterated that no serious peace could proceed without Russia halting hostilities.
Some critics believe Donald Trump used the day to display his authority on the world stage
Discussions also touched on a proposed $90 billion weapons package for Ukraine.
Yesterday, top Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev mocked EU leaders and said they were sucking up to Trump.
He wrote on X: ‘The anti-Russian warmongering Coalition of the Willing failed to outplay [Trump] on his turf. Europe thanked & sucked up to him.’
