European Union leaders are urging a truce in Ukraine ahead of a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, which they fear could result in peace terms imposed on an unlawfully shrunken country.
Russian soldiers have advanced near the coal-mining town of Dobropillia in eastern Ukraine, part of Putin’s campaign to take full control of the Donetsk region. Ukrainian military reserve troops are engaged in difficult combat against Russian forces.
Trump has proposed a land swap as part of any peace deal, which has alarmed Ukraine and European leaders. The US President believes that this approach could lead to Russia gaining more territory than Ukraine loses.
The White House calls the Trump-Putin summit a “listening exercise,” with Trump aiming to assess Putin directly. However, EU leaders insist that Ukraine must be at the negotiating table for any lasting peace to be secured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Russia must agree to a ceasefire before territorial issues are discussed. He would reject any proposal that involves Ukrainian troops pulling out of the eastern Donbas region and ceding its defensive lines.
European leaders have expressed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning against pressuring Ukraine into making concessions. They also emphasized the need for Ukraine to be capable of defending itself if peace and security are to be guaranteed on the continent.
The US is set to hold a virtual meeting with Zelenskiy and most EU leaders before the Putin summit to discuss concerns over a potential deal that favors Russia’s interests.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-sidelined-trump-putin-summit-fights-russian-grab-more-territory-2025-08-12