A powerful group of European nations has sent a clear message: any talks about peace in Ukraine must include Ukraine itself. This stance comes right before a planned meeting between the leaders of the United States and Russia. The European allies are making it known they won’t stand by quietly.
Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission all spoke together. They stated flat out that “the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.” They also stressed that “international borders must not be changed by force.” This joint statement shot down whispers that the White House might try to push European allies to accept Russia keeping parts of Ukraine, like the Donbas and Crimea regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been worried sick about his country being left out of peace talks. He warned that any deals made without Ukraine would just be “meaningless decisions.” Zelenskyy also flatly refused any idea of swapping land to end the conflict. He declared, “We will not reward Russia for what they have done.”
A White House official shared last Saturday that President Trump is open to a meeting that includes all three leaders: Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy. But for now, the August 15th meeting in Alaska will only be between the U.S. and Russian leaders. That’s what Russia asked for. It’s not clear if President Putin would even agree to a three-way meeting, since he’s turned down chances for direct talks many times before.
The European leaders’ statement also promised to keep supporting Ukraine with money, military help, and diplomatic efforts. They underlined that a “diplomatic solution” is super important. It’s not just about protecting Ukraine, but also about keeping Europe safe. French President Emmanuel Macron voiced his own worries on X, saying Russia and the U.S. seemed to be trying to cut Europe out of the peace process. He wrote, “Europeans must certainly be part of the solution, because their own security is at risk.”
The upcoming Alaska meeting marks the first time U.S. and Russian leaders have met since President Joe Biden talked with President Putin in June 2021. That was just nine months before Russia sent its forces fully into Ukraine. The war has now lasted more than three years. Russia took over four regions of Ukraine in 2022. Still, neither side has managed a big win. Russia hasn’t advanced decisively, and Ukraine’s counter-attacks haven’t pushed Russian forces back much. This makes finding a way to end the fight a tricky and incredibly important challenge for the whole world.
Source: BBC