European leaders have welcomed plans by United States President Donald Trump to hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on ending the war in Ukraine, but called for continued support for Kyiv and pressure on Moscow to achieve a just and lasting peace.
The statement by France, Italy, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and the European Commission late came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted that Kyiv will not surrender land to Russia to buy peace.
Trump, who has promised to end the three-year war, plans to meet Putin in Alaska saying the parties were close to a deal that could resolve the conflict.
Details of a potential agreement have not been announced, but Trump said it would involve “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both”.
It could require Ukraine to surrender significant parts of its territory, an outcome Zelenskyy and his European allies say would only encourage Russian aggression.
The European leaders, in their joint statement, stressed their belief that the only approach to end the war successfully required active diplomacy, support for Ukraine, as well as pressure on Russia.
They also said any diplomatic solution to the war must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s security interests.
We agree that these vital interests include the need for robust and credible security guarantees that enable Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” they said, adding that “the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.”
The leaders said they were ready to help diplomatically and promised to maintain their “substantial military and financial support for Ukraine”.
“We underline our unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” they said, adding: “We continue to stand firmly alongside Ukraine.
