Alaska: European allies have reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine, warning that any peace deal with Russia must directly involve Kyiv.
The united stance comes just days before US President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. In a joint statement, leaders from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission stressed that ‘international borders must not be changed by force’ and vowed to continue providing Ukraine with diplomatic, military, and financial aid.
The declaration tracks reports that the White House is exploring a potential agreement that would allow Russia to retain Crimea and take full control of the Donbas region, a proposal Kyiv has flatly rejected. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that any deal excluding his nation would be a dead decision and insisted that rewarding Russia for its aggression would only pave the way for future conflict.
Trump has hinted at the possibility of a trilateral meeting involving Zelenskyy, but for now, the Alaska summit remains a US–Russia affair at Putin’s request. Whether Moscow would accept Ukraine’s inclusion is uncertain, as Putin has refused direct talks with Zelenskyy since launching the full-scale invasion over three years ago.
European leaders are also uneasy about being sidelined. French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that Europe’s security is directly tied to the outcome of the talks, declaring that Europeans will necessarily be part of the solution.
Meanwhile, US Vice-President JD Vance met in London with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Zelenskyy’s top aides to coordinate positions ahead of the summit. Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak reiterated that a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table.
The Alaska meeting, the first between sitting US and Russian presidents since Joe Biden met Putin in 2021 comes with an increasingly entrenched war. Russia continues to occupy large areas of eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian offensives have failed to regain significant ground.
As the clock ticks down to the high-stakes summit, Kyiv’s allies are standing firm, peace talks without Ukraine are not an option.
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