European leaders have reaffirmed their united support for Ukraine, declaring that any negotiations to end the war with Russia must involve Kyiv.
In a joint statement released on Saturday night, the leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission stressed that “international borders must not be changed by force” and that Ukraine must retain the freedom to decide its own future. The declaration came just days before US President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
The White House has indicated that Trump is open to expanding the meeting into a trilateral summit that would include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though for now it remains a bilateral engagement at Putin’s request. Whether Moscow would agree to a three-way meeting is uncertain, as Putin has consistently declined direct talks with Zelensky since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than three years ago.
Zelensky has made clear that any agreements reached without Ukraine’s participation would be “dead decisions.” Speaking on Telegram, he rejected suggestions of territorial concessions, saying, “We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated… Any decisions against us, any decisions without Ukraine, are also decisions against peace.”
His remarks came after Trump hinted at the possibility of “some swapping of territories” to achieve an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv. US media reports have suggested that the White House is exploring a settlement under which Russia would retain control of the entire Donbas region and Crimea, a scenario strongly opposed by Kyiv and its European allies.
European leaders warned that their continent’s security is directly tied to the outcome of the war. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X that “Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake.”
Zelensky expressed gratitude for the show of solidarity, saying, “The end of the war must be fair… Ukraine is defending the vital security interests of our European nations.” He also emphasised the need to ensure Russia is not given the opportunity to “deceive anyone again” and called for “reliable security foundations for Ukraine and other European nations.”
US Vice-President JD Vance visited the UK on Saturday to meet Foreign Secretary David Lammy and senior Ukrainian officials, including Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office. Yermak reiterated that “a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table. A ceasefire is necessary – but the frontline is not a border.”
The Alaska summit will be the first meeting between a sitting US president and Putin since June 2021. It comes amid ongoing fighting, with Russia holding large areas of eastern Ukraine but failing to secure a decisive breakthrough, while Ukrainian forces continue to resist advances despite limited territorial gains.
