European leaders have issued a firm declaration that any peace negotiations with Russia must involve Ukraine, rejecting moves to sideline Kyiv from its own future.
“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” read a joint statement from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission late on Saturday. The leaders stressed that “international borders must not be changed by force” and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine diplomatically, militarily and financially.
The statement comes as US President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday in a bid to end the war. Trump has hinted at the possibility of a trilateral meeting including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but for now the talks remain set between Washington and Moscow—at Russia’s request.
European capitals fear that Kyiv will be excluded from critical decisions about its own sovereignty. Zelensky warned that any agreements made without Ukraine would amount to “dead decisions,” adding, “We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated.”
CBS has reported that the White House is exploring a deal that would see Russia keep Crimea and gain control of the entire Donbas region—an idea European leaders and Ukraine have firmly rejected. Zelensky accused Moscow of seeking territorial swaps that would only provide it “more convenient positions to resume the war.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also weighed in, writing on X that Europe must be part of the solution “as their own security is at stake.” Europe has maintained a hard line against Moscow, including sanctions and military aid to Kyiv.
US Vice-President JD Vance, visiting the UK on Saturday, met British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and senior Ukrainian officials. Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky’s office, told Vance that “a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table.”
The Alaska summit would be the first meeting between sitting US and Russian presidents since Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in 2021—nine months before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion. Since then, Russia has annexed four Ukrainian regions without full control over them, while fighting continues across eastern Ukraine with neither side achieving a decisive breakthrough.
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