European Leaders Say Ukraine Must Be in US-Russia Peace Talks

European leaders have declared that no peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine should be reached without Kyiv’s direct involvement.

Their joint statement pushes back against moves that could sideline Ukraine from decisions about its own sovereignty.

United Front Against Excluding Ukraine

“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” said the leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission in a joint message on Saturday.

They stressed that international borders must not be changed by force and pledged ongoing diplomatic, military, and financial support for Kyiv.

The declaration comes just days before US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Although Trump has hinted at including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the talks, the current agenda set at Moscow’s request remains a bilateral US-Russia meeting.

Kyiv Pushes Back on “Dead Decisions”

Ukrainian leaders fear being shut out of critical discussions. Zelensky warned that agreements made without Ukraine would amount to “dead decisions,” adding: “We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated.”

Reports from CBS suggest the White House is considering a deal allowing Russia to keep Crimea and control all of Donbas. Both European leaders and Kyiv have rejected the proposal outright.

Zelensky accused Moscow of seeking territorial gains to prepare for future offensives.

Europe’s Security at Stake

French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that Europe must remain part of the solution because “their own security is at stake.”

European countries have maintained sanctions on Moscow while supplying Ukraine with weapons and financial aid.

US Vice President JD Vance met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and senior Ukrainian officials in London on Saturday.

Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, told Vance that “a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table.”

Historic Summit in Alaska

The Alaska summit will mark the first meeting between a sitting US and Russian president since Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in 2021 nine months before Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Since then, Moscow has annexed four Ukrainian regions without gaining full control over them, while fighting continues in the east with no decisive breakthrough.

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