European allies have united behind Ukraine, demanding that any peace talks with Russia must include Kyiv. The statement, issued by leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission, came ahead of US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Trump is willing to hold a trilateral meeting with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but for now, it remains a Trump-Putin summit. However, Zelensky has made it clear that any agreements without Kyiv will be “dead decisions.”
The US president had previously suggested meeting only with Putin, but later expressed hope for a trilateral meeting. European leaders have stressed the importance of international borders not being changed by force and have promised to support Ukraine diplomatically, militarily, and financially.
French President Emmanuel Macron has raised concerns about Russia and the US excluding European involvement in any agreement. Ukrainian leader Zelensky has thanked his allies for their support, emphasizing the need for a “genuine end to the war” and reliable security foundations for Ukraine and Europe.
The situation remains tense, with Putin’s refusal to hold direct talks with Zelensky and Trump’s proposal of “swapping territories” as part of any agreement. The White House is reportedly trying to sway European allies to accept an agreement that would include Russia taking the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0e9py7e28xo