Lanes on the Key Bridge were closed to traffic while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders visit D.C. today.
Some drivers began posting about the closure on social media during their commutes this morning (Monday). Further closures and traffic backups were also reported on the D.C. side of the bridge in Georgetown.
An Arlington Alert message sent around noon confirmed that the bridge’s northbound lanes “are shut down for an unknown duration” due to “dignitary movement.”
“Expect delays and seek an alternate route,” the alert system said.
DC COMMUTERS; Avoid Georgetown like the plague if you’re on your way into the District from Arlington. @DCPoliceDept says the Key Bridge is blocked due to “dignitary movement” right now. Worth noting, the Ukrainian Embassy is just off of M Street. @wusa9
— T.J. Cutini (@TJCutini) August 18, 2025
Traffic alert‼️ Key bridge in and out of Georgetown, M St. from Canal St. to Wisconsin Ave. and blocks extending to Prospect shut down. Police activity related to Ukrainian Pres. Zelensky visit to White House.@fox5dc pic.twitter.com/A3N6iV0WAH
— Maureen Umeh (@MaureenUmehFox5) August 18, 2025
Just before 1:15 p.m., Arlington police radio traffic suggested that Key Bridge was back open.
Ukraine’s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting today as Zelenskyy brings an extraordinary group of European leaders to show U.S. President Donald Trump a united front against Russia.
The European leaders were left out of Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday, and they want to safeguard Ukraine and the continent from any widening aggression from Moscow. Many are coming with the explicit goal of protecting Ukraine’s interests — a rare show of diplomatic force.
By coming as a group, they hope to avoid debacles like Zelenskyy’s February meeting in the Oval Office, where Trump chastised him for not showing enough gratitude for U.S. military aid. Trump and Zelenskyy were due to meet in the Oval Office before European leaders join them in the East Room for talks.
Planning to join Zelenskyy in Washington are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
A portion of this story was written by The Associated Press. Map via Google Maps.
