European leaders have cautioned that peace talks scheduled between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week are unlikely to succeed if Ukraine is not included in the negotiations.
“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” read a joint statement issued on Saturday by the leaders of France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, and Finland. The leaders reaffirmed their position that international borders must not be altered by force and insisted that the current line of contact should serve as the starting point for any negotiations.
The coordinated show of support for Kyiv follows Trump’s announcement on Friday that he would meet Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine—without Ukrainian participation. Trump’s stance, which includes the view that Kyiv must relinquish territory as part of a settlement, has sparked criticism from European allies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly rejected the idea of ceding land, stating in a Saturday video address that Ukraine would not “gift their land to the occupier.” He warned that peace talks excluding Kyiv would “bring nothing” and thanked European leaders for their backing. “The end of the war must be fair, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people,” Zelensky posted on X on Sunday.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, speaking on Fox News, suggested that any agreement would likely leave both sides dissatisfied. Reports indicate Russia is demanding Ukraine relinquish the Donbas region and Crimea—territories Moscow already controls in part or in full. Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014, a move unrecognized by most of the world.
Matthew Whitaker, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, said in an interview that “no big chunks or sections are going to be just given that haven’t been fought for or earned on the battlefield,” without providing further details.
According to U.S. officials cited by NBC News, the White House is considering inviting Zelensky to the Alaska summit, though no final decision has been made. The talks will be the first meeting between the U.S. and Russian leaders since 2021.
European governments have pledged continued military and financial support for Kyiv, stressing their own security concerns. “We underline our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity,” the joint statement added. “We are united as Europeans… for a peace in Ukraine that protects our vital security interests.”
The Kremlin’s demands reportedly go beyond territorial concessions, with Putin also seeking Ukraine’s abandonment of its bid to join NATO—a demand previously raised in earlier negotiation attempts.
