Ahead of the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin this Friday, Ukraine’s European supporters are calling for increased pressure on Russia and for Kyiv to be involved. Meanwhile, former Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev accused Europeans of trying to block a peace deal.
“We welcome President Trump’s efforts to end the slaughter in Ukraine,” said the heads of state and government of Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Britain, Finland, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a joint statement. At the same time, they declared their willingness to “support these efforts diplomatically and to continue our extensive military and financial assistance to Ukraine.”
This could be done, among other things, “by maintaining and enforcing restrictive measures against Russia.” The path to peace in Ukraine could also not be decided without Ukraine. “Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a reduction in hostilities,” emphasized Ukraine’s European supporters. Solid and credible security guarantees that would allow Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty are also needed.
Merz: Ukraine Must Be Included in Talks to End the War German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also called for Ukraine’s participation in the talks to end Russia’s war of aggression. He assumes that Zelensky “will be involved” in the summit scheduled for Friday in the U.S. state of Alaska, Merz said on Sunday in an interview with ARD. “In any case, we cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and the United States are discussed or even decided over the heads of Europeans and Ukrainians.
” Vienna Also Calls for Ukraine’s Participation “Austria fully supports U.S. efforts to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine through high-level diplomacy,” said the Foreign Ministry in Vienna on X. At the same time, it stressed: “It remains essential that no decisions about Ukraine are made without Ukraine.” Zelensky Thanks Europeans for Their Support Ahead of the Summit Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked European leaders for their support ahead of the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.
The war must end justly, which is why he is grateful to all those who stand with Ukraine, Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy also said that his country was defending Europe’s security interests. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha warned on the X platform against “gifts” to the aggressor. “Any concession will lead to further aggression.” Kallas: Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Monday EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Sunday called for Ukraine and the EU to be included in any possible agreement between the U.S. and Russia to end the war.
This is a matter of security for Ukraine and all of Europe, she said. She also announced a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday to discuss the next steps. Tension Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit This Friday, Trump and Putin intend to negotiate a possible peace solution in Russia’s war of aggression, which has lasted for nearly three and a half years, in the U.S. state of Alaska. Zelenskyy, who is not invited, fears decisions could be made about Ukraine. He also firmly rejects the surrender of Ukrainian territories mentioned by Trump and praised a statement from the Europeans on Saturday night that no decisions about Ukraine should be made without the country’s involvement.
Russians Accuse Europeans of Sabotage Attempts Former Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev, who is deputy head of Russia’s National Security Council in Moscow, accused Europeans of trying to prevent a peace deal. According to Moscow, the Russians and Americans are working intensively on a plan to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. After several phone calls between Putin and Trump, the meeting will be the first since the U.S. president returned to office in January.
The two had met in person several times during Trump’s first term. Putin’s last meeting with a U.S. president was more than four years ago. In 2021, the Kremlin chief met with U.S. President Joe Biden in Geneva. Klitschko: “A Diplomatic Solution Must Be Found” Meanwhile, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko is advocating for a negotiated solution. “We have to find a diplomatic solution,” Klitschko told the newspaper Bild in Kyiv.
“Everyone in our state, in our country, is tired of this war,” he said. “Unfortunately, we have paid a huge price for this war: the lives of our patriots, our soldiers, our citizens. Hundreds of cities have been destroyed. A large part of Ukraine is occupied by Russia.” Regarding Russia’s demands for territorial separations, Klitschko said it was still “too early” for such talks, but he did not explicitly rule out relinquishing territories. That is a question for Zelenskyy, Klitschko said. “He has to make difficult decisions.” Some people will never be willing to cede part of the country to Russia, said the former world boxing champion.
