Donald Trump met with Volodymyr Zelensky and a large group of European leaders who descended on the White House Monday to support Ukraine’s president, bracing for the possibility of another explosive series of meetings that could change the course of his country’s future.

On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who sat in on the meetings with Mr. Putin at the American air base outside of Anchorage, disputed the idea that the Europeans were coming as a posse to protect Mr. Zelensky from a repeat of the February shouting match.

When President Volodymyr Zelensky joined U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Aug. 18, the positive mood between the leaders stood in stark contrast to their disastrous encounter in February in the same spot.

It is quite possible that Monday's meeting in the White House could prove even more crucial to the future of Ukraine - and for all of Europe's security - than last Friday's US-Russia summit in Alaska. On the surface, that Putin-Trump reunion seemed to live down to every expectation.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and other European leaders have learned a thing or two about negotiating, Trump-style. So has Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined European and NATO leaders to thank Trump — a lot — six months after the White House accused him of being ungrateful.