Zelensky Could Attend Trump-Putin Summit While Europe Stands Aside
As US President Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin plan a bilateral meeting on the Ukraine war, Europe and Ukraine risk being sidelined despite urgent security interests.
A planned Alaska summit on Friday between former US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine has raised alarm as Ukraine and European leaders find themselves excluded from the negotiations.
Discussions may focus on territorial adjustments after more than three and a half years of conflict, but Kyiv has ruled out ceding any land or freezing front lines, warning that concessions would only fuel further aggression.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas cautioned that the summit’s one-on-one format—the Kremlin’s proposal, agreed by the White House—could allow “outrageous Russian demands” to go unchallenged if Ukraine is not at the table. She said, “If President Zelensky attends, that would be an immediate success.”
European Response
In Brussels, foreign ministers held a virtual meeting calling for an unconditional ceasefire and announcing fresh sanctions on Moscow. Yet their bid to join the US-led talks has so far been rebuffed, despite intensified defence spending and diplomatic efforts.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski declared the conflict “a matter of existential European security,” warning that a mere ceasefire would not resolve the crisis. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has scheduled a video conference this Wednesday with European leaders, President Zelensky, and Mr. Trump to press for Europe’s inclusion.
Lord Simon McDonald, the former UK Foreign Office chief, predicted the summit “will be theatrical,” with Mr. Putin seeking concessions “that nobody else would concede except possibly Donald Trump.” He added, “It’s a milestone, but it doesn’t guarantee a breakthrough.”
Without Ukraine’s presence, any agreement risks sidelining its security needs and could embolden further aggression.
This topic was reported by BBC News.
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