International leaders in Europe express solidarity with Ukraine, prior to Trump's upcoming encounter with Putin
The recent summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, ended without a deal on a ceasefire in Ukraine.
President Trump set a hard deadline for Putin to agree to a ceasefire, which was not met. Instead, Trump opted for further diplomatic engagement, expressing optimism about eventually reaching peace but acknowledging no agreement was reached at the summit. He plans to consult quickly with NATO leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, hopes that European leaders will not disrupt the nascent diplomatic process, anticipating skepticism from them toward any peace progress reported by Trump.
European nations and Ukraine view this meeting with caution and concern:
European allies are expected to be underwhelmed by Trump's report from the summit, given no concrete steps resulted toward ending the war. They likely seek stronger positions from the U.S. against Russia's maximalist aims in Ukraine.
Ukraine remains wary about progress from the meeting, as the conflict continues unabated and no ceasefire was agreed. The Ukrainian military's ongoing actions reflect resistance to Russian advances despite diplomatic efforts.
The European Union and other nations call for a just and lasting peace:
European nations, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, and the UK, have signed a statement calling for a "just and lasting peace" in Ukraine, including "robust and credible" security guarantees.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said that Trump has got Putin to agree to meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, but the Kremlin has previously stated that Putin and Zelenskyy should only meet when an agreement negotiated by their delegations is close.
Political analysts weigh in on the summit's outcome:
Mikhail Kasyanov, Putin's first prime minister and later a political opponent, believes the Kremlin would be more willing to negotiate when sanctions have strained Russia's economy.
Mark Galeotti, a British expert in Russian politics, argues that further delay in U.S. action and the optics of a meeting with the U.S. president are wins for the Kremlin.
A Trump ally and Russia hawk, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, has stated that a good deal would mean preventing an emboldened Russia from trying to redraw borders by force and that Ukraine should be given robust security guarantees, with some Western forces remaining on the ground as trip wires, and continued arms supply to Ukraine to deter Russia.
Next steps:
Rutte stated that next Friday will be important for testing Putin's seriousness in ending the war. A meeting between Vance and top European and Ukrainian officials took place at the British Foreign Secretary's weekend residence to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on U.S. soil next Friday. Graham has also expressed hope that Zelenskyy can be part of the peace process and that Trump will look out for European and Ukrainian needs to end the war honorably.
The European statement reiterates that international borders must not be changed by force and emphasizes that Ukraine has the freedom to choose its own destiny. The statement also emphasizes that meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is encouraging Washington to toughen sanctions against Russia, stating that Putin only acts under pressure. Moscow insists on Ukraine ceding territories it claims to have annexed, despite lacking full military control.
Trump has suggested that a peace deal could include "some swapping of territories," raising concerns about potential pressure on Kyiv to give up land or accept other curbs on its sovereignty.
[1] The New York Times: "Trump and Putin Fail to Reach Agreement on Ukraine Ceasefire" [2] BBC News: "Ukraine conflict: Zelenskyy rules out giving up territory to Russia" [3] Reuters: "Trump-Putin summit ends without deal on Ukraine ceasefire"
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts in Ukraine remain a significant concern for European nations and Ukraine, as no concrete progress was made towards ending the war following the Trump-Putin summit.
- Despite the lack of a ceasefire agreement, European nations, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, and the UK, have called for a "just and lasting peace" in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for robust and credible security guarantees.
