European leaders have thrown their weight behind US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a trilateral summit involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. The summit, they said, would be the logical next step in ending the war in Ukraine, now dragging into its fourth year.
Joint Statement of Unity
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, top European leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and European Council President Antonio Costa backed Trump’s diplomatic initiative.
The leaders highlighted that Trump briefed them and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his 15 August meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
They welcomed Trump’s peace push, stating:
“Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.”
“No Deal Until There’s a Deal”
The joint statement echoed Trump’s words: “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.” Leaders stressed that the next step must involve direct talks with Zelenskyy, who is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
They added, “We are ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support.”
Ukraine’s Security Comes First
European leaders drew a red line on any compromise over Ukraine’s future. They insisted that peace must include “ironclad security guarantees” for Kyiv.
The statement said, “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and NATO. Decisions on Ukrainian territory will rest solely with Kyiv.”
Leaders also underlined that Ukraine’s armed forces must not face restrictions and that international borders cannot be changed by force.
Continued Pressure on Russia
The statement reaffirmed Europe’s pledge to continue military, political, and economic support for Ukraine. It warned Russia that sanctions and economic measures would only tighten unless Moscow ends its aggression.
“As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia,” the leaders declared.
After Trump-Putin Alaska Talks
The joint statement came just a day after the “historic” Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin. The two leaders discussed a possible truce and ways to end the ongoing conflict.
Russia’s economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the US “received Russia very well” in Alaska and that both sides aimed to improve relations despite “resistance.” Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy confirmed he would meet Trump on Monday to continue talks on achieving peace.
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