European Union(EU) leaders have made a united call to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity ahead of a crucial virtual summit with US President Donald Trump. The meeting aims to discuss US strategy before Trump’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. All EU leaders, except Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, signed a joint statement emphasizing the need to protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
The statement read: “Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities.” EU leaders also stressed that “a diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests” and that “a Ukraine capable of defending itself effectively is an integral part of any future security guarantees”. They added that EU nations are ready to contribute further to security guarantees.
Orbán, a longstanding ally of Putin in Europe, dismissed the statement, saying it attempts to set conditions for a meeting to which EU leaders were not invited. “The only sensible action for EU leaders is to initiate an EU-Russia summit, based on the example of the US-Russia meeting,” he said, denying he is Putin’s puppet.
Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief, emphasized the importance of sequencing steps in negotiations. “First, an unconditional ceasefire with a strong monitoring system and ironclad security guarantees,” she said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attendance at the Trump-Putin summit has also been advocated for by Kallas.
Trump described his meeting with Putin as a “feel-out” to gauge the Russian leader’s willingness to compromise. “This is really a feel-out meeting a little bit,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We’re going to see what he has in mind and if it’s a fair deal, I’ll reveal it to the European Union leaders and to Nato leaders and also to President Zelenskyy.”
Trump suggested any peace deal would involve “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” Russia and Ukraine. However, this phrasing hides the reality that virtually all the territory in question is Ukrainian-held. Zelenskyy has made it clear that Ukraine will not give up land, and Russia has yet to specify if it will hand back any territory seized by force since launching its first military attacks over 11 years ago.
The summit between Trump and Putin is scheduled to take place on August 15 in Alaska. European leaders hope Trump’s recent impatience with Putin for failing to agree to a 30-day ceasefire will not dissolve on contact with the Russian leader. Recent signs suggest Trump is slowly hardening his stance towards Russia, including resuming intelligence cooperation with Ukraine and threatening secondary sanctions against countries trading with Russia.
As the situation unfolds, European leaders are clinging to the hope that Trump’s approach will prioritize Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently visited Putin in Moscow, and Trump hailed “great progress” in peace negotiations. However, no new US actions or Russian capitulations have been announced.