Here’s what we know about which aircraft European leaders, including President Zelenskyy, used to fly to Washington for yesterday’s summit with President Trump on Russia and the Ukraine War.
Aircraft Used By European Leaders For Washington Summit On Ukraine War
Leaders from across Europe descended upon Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington, DC for a White House meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday, August 18, 2025. The meeting comes after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy flew aboard Ukraine’s Airbus ACJ319, registration UR-ABA, a VIP-configured jet with auxiliary tanks and secure communications systems. Zelenskyy began the day at Melsbroek Air Base in Belgium, flying nonstop to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Ukrainian airspace is closed, so Zelenskyy will return to Krakow where he will take alternative transport, typically a secured train, back into Kyiv.
> Read More: My 18-Hour Train Ride From Warsaw To Kyiv
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
Starmer flew on the UK government’s Airbus A321LR, tail number G-GBNI, operated under Titan Airways as a VIP-configured jet. It was tracked arriving at Joint Base Andrews on August 18.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
Meloni’s delegation arrived aboard the Italian Air Force’s Airbus A319CJ, registration MM62209.
French President Emmanuel Macron
Macron traveled on France’s presidential Airbus A330-200, registered F-RARF, call sign CTM006. It was tracked inbound to Andrews.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
Germany’s Chancellor flew aboard the German Government’s Airbus Corporate Jet A319 (ACJ319). He first flew from Cologne to Munich, then to Glasgow, and finally to Andrews.
Other Leaders (Stubb, Rutte, von der Leyen)
No verifiable ADS-B data or photos (at least that I have been able to find) have confirmed the aircraft used by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Publicity and flight tracking data on their transports have not surfaced.
CONCLUSION
Yesterday was quite a day in Washington. Starmer, Meloni, Merz, Macron, and Zelenskyy flew on their respective VIP-configured aircraft to take part in a historic meeting that all sides hope will bring an end to the war.
Will this diplomatic summit yield fruit in a future meeting with Zelenskyy and Putin? Can there be lasting peace by ceding land that was illegally stolen by force? Will Russia be content with 20% of Ukraine, or is this like 1936 all over again?
The aircraft may be interesting, but these questions weigh large.
Z doesn’t fly to KRK, the aircraft is just stored there. He always flies to/from RZE.
Despite the climate implications the aircraft is ferried to/from KRK to RZE as needed.
They would have been better off all flying to Bali for holidays. Trump and Putin are just playing them while they forge their plan to form the world’s most lethal and dangerous alliance.
These were actual flights to nowhere. The EU and their true allies (like Canada) need to start scrambling now to build weapons and military. Otherwise they are risking 1936 all over again with the axis of evil more powerful and more dangerous than ever before.
Trump is dominating Europe and the democrats.
You’re delusional. Putin is playing him like a plywood fiddle, and he still doesn’t get it. The man’s a fool.
Putin and Trump share the same goals. Both are visionaries. Trump already got the Europeans to sign a concessionary trade deal. The tarrifs worked, he won.
The Europeans are simply buying time until the 26’ midterms. They are conceding nothing. They know that the possible flipping of the house, a recession, and the Epstein files will work to their favor. No reason to play an aggressive offense against someone who is going to clearly sputter out before the second half.
Euros are morons and will do what the us tells them,
Maga is here to stay and the new norm in the us.
As if we needed yet another example of how Walter Barry is literally a Russian disinformation agent. Again, sir, did the check from the GRU clear to your account yet?
You are delusional. You go sign up if you really are a “Dutchman” for service in Ukraine. I am sure Ukraine will take every able, willing breathing body into their military since they are sending old men to fight too now. America is tired of giving up America’s daughters and sons to protect Europe, not once, but TWICE. Plus, we are a bit busy to the East right now. We can be your backstop (we won’t let you go under), but after 80 years we think Europe can handle this with their daughters and sons fighting for Ukraine if that is what your population want. I suspect if your blood treasure were spent in great numbers that wouldn’t be the case. After a conversation with an older Austrian in Austria I think I am right. They are having trouble getting their youth to join their military for their own protection and the EU’s too. A draft sounds like it will be in the making.
No one agrees with what Russia has done, but is not winnable for either unless Europe wants to fight literally for Ukraine with the relatives of these leaders who attended this meeting sign up first. It is just Russia has an ace in the whole here, nuclear weapons. Although I don’t believe they will use them since it would blow over into their country, but then again I don’t think Putin would care while he sat in his nuclear bunkers.
Send you thank you notes to these leaders who put Ukraine in this position:
Leonid Kravchuk: He was the President of Ukraine
Bill Clinton: The former President of the U.S.
Boris Yeltsin: The former President of Russia in whom selected Putin into his fold. How did that work out?
You and the others should know that in 2014 by annexing Crimea and in 2022 by launching its full-scale invasion that Russia was the aggressor here and Putin violated the Budapest Memorandum, signed on December 5, 1994, by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom; it provided security assurances to Ukraine in exchange for its commitment to relinquish its nuclear weapons and accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapons state. The memorandum included pledges to respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and existing borders, and to refrain from the use or threat of force against it.
Very few Americans or Europeans have served or died in Ukraine (yes, some have volunteered and died for this cause, but no one was conscripted from the USA or EU, nor is it likely that they would under current conditions); rather, it is the courage and bravery of the Ukrainians, defending their people and their sovereignty that we should be celebrating here.
Meanwhile, it is estimated that Russia has casualties of 1 million soldiers, and about 400 civilians; Ukraine has casualties of about 400,000, and about 50,000 civilians. Russia has exhausted most of its modern and Soviet era conventional munitions and equipment; Putin has been relying on North Koreans and foreign mercenaries to fill gaps. While no one in the West should want this war, it has been an impressive example of letting your adversary (Russia) weaken itself on their own. We in the USA and EU have been able to practically gift our old equipment to the Ukrainians while we modernize at home, creating jobs, and better preparing ourselves.
The German Government Planes are stationed at Bonn airport CGN (because why not?) and normally fly to Berlin to pick up politicians. In this case, Friedrich Merz was on vacation and that is why he was picked up in Munich.
Due to the trip being quite spontaneous, the A350 wasn’t available on such short notice.
Matt you seem like a religious person, so allow me to drop this nugget: If you’re looking (or hoping) for 2 powerful world leaders to bring LASTING peace & security, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. The scriptures tell us that it is beyond mankind’s ability to establish that level of peace (Jeremiah 10:23) and that only one force can accomplish it (Psalm 46:9,10). Anywho, as far as aviation, it’s cool that small narrow bodies can traverse the Atlantic if carrying small loads. Take care brother!
Christians believe peace can only be achieved through war? I ask this in all sincerity… Does this mean we must love our neighbor unless we disagree with them? Please do explain this. I’m really not picking on you, I promise.
Hello my friend. We should indeed love our neighbor (Matthew 22:39). What I was pointing out is that the scriptures tell us that only a heavenly power can solve the problem of warfare. The scriptures that I cited in my post basically say that mankind is not capable of providing lasting peace because we are imperfect and because there is a sinister force affecting this planet (1 John 5:19). Please reach out to me at my email (ncrider03@yahoo.com).
“Starmer, Meloni, Merz, Macron, and Zelenskyy flew on their respective VIP-configured aircraft to take part in a historic meeting that all sides hope will bring an end to the war”
Nonsense. “All sides” do not hope to end the war.”
Putin has zero interest in the war ending. He’s a nazi thug. And Trump doesn’t really care, he just thinks that if he’s going to get a Nobel peace prize, surrendering Ukraine to fascist Russia will help.
Russia is a nation of liars, cheats, thieves, and mafia thugs. They lie, steal and cheat at everything.
“Russia is a nation of liars, thieves, cheats and thugs” Sure. Putin’s lap dog Donald has proved trainable and worthy of the new Putin Peace Prize.
I feel ashamed half of Europe had to cancel their plans to stop Russian expansionism promoted by Lap Dog Donald.
Sounds like you want more young Russian and Ukrainian men dying.
I advocate only for peace and children.
Putin is more respectable than any euro.
How’s the weather in Novosibirsk, Sergei?
Well said.
Agree completely, Trump is Putin‘s useful idiot.
Nazis are all Ukrainians, they worship nazi collaboration and bandera.
Putin is just in his response to aggression. Ukraine started this war and russia will take back what rightfully belongs to them.
For a Russian toady you know very little about Russian history or historiography. I suggest you read “The Story of Russia” by Orlando Figes, which will explain to you in plain language how Putin’s imperial ambitions have roots that go back many hundreds of years, and culminate in his desire to restore Holy Rus to its rightful place in the world, with Moscow as a “Third Rome” at the heart of the Russian Empire. As the lefties are fond of saying, “educate yourself”, and maybe stop getting your news from Russian trolls farms on Facebook.
Awesome, I admire Putin, hope he’s successful in his goals.
The us and russia can carve up the world.
Walter Barry again proves he is not a serious person.
Among the photos of Italy, France, and Ukraine, Italy’s livery looks best.
The shows how unimportant Canada is, a tiny country that is hateful of America and a small fry.
Canada is basically an Indian colonial holding right now.
That is objectively not true; as usual, you only spread lies, animus, and xenophobia.
You are wrong. Canada remains a great country, filled with wonderful people, who are friends and allies of the USA, having fought on our side in nearly every modern conflict around the world, defending freedom and liberty for all. I wish you would not spread hate on here. You know better.
Can barely wait until Putin is finished with Trump, then Putin can release the video tapes of hookers peeing all over Trump. It’s obvious that Putin has something on Trump that Trump desperately does not want to be made public.
Trump is completely worthless, a stupid nasty infantile moron. Hasn’t accomplished a single thing of positive value.
The stupidity and racism and gullibility and naïveté of Trump voters if not factual, would be unbelievable.
Lol you do have TDS.
How did “trump going to jail” work out? Oh yeah he got away with it and you can’t stop him.
Enjoy getting deported to el Salvador.
Walter Barry, I apparently scared you away from VFTW, and I’ll do the same on here, if I have to. You are wrong to threaten any fellow commenters on any of these travel blogs, even in jest. And, yes, the President’s abuses of power are also abhorrent; history will not look kindly on any of this, and there will be accountability, hopefully soon.
What a candyass farce.France and Britain were ready to throw Nato member Poland under the bus again,as they did in ww2.Both Starmer and Macron continued claiming they would be sending troops to Ukraine.When Poland responded it wouldn’t,both Starmer and Macron backtracked and now shelved that talk.You can use their word for toilet paper.Sorry Zelensky.
Maga with TDS-Horrible Comments Yourshould be banned from this site!!!
Go Airbus!
Matthew. Leaving the politics aside, as aviation nerds, I am sure you enjoyed writing that story as much as we enjoyed reading it!!! Thanks