IRIA News

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European leaders issued a joint statement over the weekend urging the United States to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia, underscoring that any peace deal to end the war in Ukraine must involve Kyiv directly.

The statement came as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 for talks aimed at ending the three-year conflict.

“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” the European leaders said. The declaration, signed by the heads of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Britain, Finland, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized the need to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

The European leaders stressed that only an approach combining “active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on the Russian Federation to end their illegal war” could lead to a durable settlement. The leaders pledged continued military aid to Kyiv and the maintenance of restrictive measures against Russia until it ceases hostilities.

Ukraine warns against territorial concessions

The joint European statement followed remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejecting suggestions that a ceasefire could involve exchanging territory. His comments were aimed at a proposal floated by U.S. President Trump, who told reporters that “there’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” sides.

“The answer to the Ukrainian territorial question is already in the Constitution of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “No one will deviate from this, and no one will be able to. Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” he added.

Zelenskyy warned that any decisions made without Ukraine’s participation would fail. “Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace,” he said. “They will not achieve anything. These are stillborn decisions.”

Details of US proposal

According to some sources and media reports, the Trump administration is considering a plan to freeze the conflict along the current front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia while allowing Russia to retain the Donbas region.

The proposal reportedly emerged after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin earlier this week in Moscow and relayed the Kremlin’s terms for ending the war to Trump. The White House has not confirmed the specifics but acknowledged that land swaps are under discussion.

“It’s complicated,” Trump said in the Oval Office, adding that “There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both, but we’ll be talking about that.”

We welcome President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine.

Diplomacy combined with continued pressure on Russia is how we will achieve a just and lasting peace.

One that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and the vital security interests of both Ukraine and Europe.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 9, 2025

European capitals coordinate positions

Ahead of the Alaska summit, European capitals have been working to align their negotiating positions and ensure Ukraine’s voice is not sidelined. National security advisors from the United States, the United Kingdom, and EU member states gathered in Britain on Saturday to coordinate strategies.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Zelenskyy, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reaffirming that “the future of Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukrainians” and that Europe must remain actively engaged in the talks.

European leaders also stressed that any peace settlement must protect not only Ukraine’s borders but also Europe’s broader security interests, including robust and credible guarantees enabling Kyiv to defend itself in the future.

White House signals openness to trilateral meeting

A senior U.S. official said Trump is open to holding a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy during the Alaska talks, though no such arrangement has been confirmed. “The president is discussing it with all the relevant parties,” the official said. The White House emphasized that Putin’s willingness to meet Trump was partly due to joint pressure from Washington and its allies.

The Alaska meeting would mark the first face-to-face encounter between a U.S. president and Putin since June 2021, when Joe Biden met the Russian leader in Geneva. Nine months later, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Stalled negotiations and war toll

Three rounds of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine this year have failed to produce an agreement. Both sides continue to trade accusations of intransigence, while fighting persists along multiple fronts. Tens of thousands of people have been killed since February 2022, and millions have been displaced, creating one of the largest humanitarian crises in Europe since World War II.

Putin has so far refused to hold direct talks with Zelenskyy, while Kyiv insists that only a direct meeting with the Russian president can yield meaningful progress. Zelenskyy has also sought greater Western involvement in securing guarantees for Ukraine’s long-term security.