BRUSSELS: European leaders have voiced support for a three-way summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and US President Donald Trump.
This comes after a recent US-Russia meeting failed to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen jointly emphasised continued pressure on Russia.
They stated that sanctions and economic measures would persist until a just and lasting peace is achieved.
The leaders also rejected Moscow’s influence over Ukraine’s potential EU or NATO membership.
“We are ready to work towards a trilateral summit with European support,“ the statement read.
The recent Trump-Putin talks in Alaska concluded without Russia committing to end its invasion of Ukraine.
European officials had expressed concerns over Trump engaging Putin without Zelensky’s involvement.
Starmer, however, acknowledged Trump’s efforts, saying they brought the world closer to ending Russia’s war.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban praised the summit, calling it a step toward global safety.
Macron warned against trusting Russia’s commitments and stressed the need for unbreakable security guarantees.
The European leaders welcomed unspecified security assurances from Trump regarding Ukraine.
A diplomatic source revealed that Trump proposed guarantees separate from NATO membership.
Von der Leyen reiterated the necessity of strong protections for Ukraine and Europe’s security interests- AFP
