EU leaders seek pre-summit talks with Trump ahead of Putin meeting
3 Min Read
European leaders are seeking to influence the August 15 Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, pushing for Ukraine's inclusion in any peace talks as Washington ends direct war funding and Kiev's participation remains uncertain.
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A press conference is held at the Council of Europe after signing the legal instruments necessary to launch the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, June 25, 2025 (AP Photo/Pascal Bastien)
European leaders are pressing to meet US President Donald Trump ahead of his August 15 talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Bloomberg reported Sunday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The summit, the first between the two leaders since Trump's return to office, comes amid intensified diplomatic maneuvering over the war in Ukraine and shifting US policy on funding the conflict.
The White House and Kremlin confirmed Friday that the Alaska meeting will go ahead as planned. While Trump has framed the summit as an opportunity to seek a "peaceful settlement," his administration has announced it will end direct US financial support for Ukraine's war effort. "We are done funding the Ukraine war business," US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News, stressing that Washington will allow allies to buy American-made weapons for Kiev but will no longer underwrite the conflict directly.
Several European heads of state have voiced support for Trump's peace ambitions while vowing to maintain strong backing for Ukraine. In a joint statement, they said they are "ready to extend diplomatic support" to Trump's initiative but will remain part of the "coalition of the willing" by supplying Ukraine with "substantial military and financial support" and continuing to impose sanctions on Russia.
Summit uncertainty
According to reports from a preparatory meeting in the UK, hosted by British Foreign Minister David Lammy and Vice President Vance, European, American, and Ukrainian security advisers worked to align positions ahead of the Alaska summit. Leaders from France, Germany, the UK, and Poland stressed that any peace deal must include Ukraine at the negotiating table and guarantee its sovereignty and internationally recognized borders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the talks, received assurances from both NATO and the EU that no settlement should be reached without Kiev's consent.
However, Zelensky's participation in the Alaska talks remains uncertain. As of Saturday, CNN reported that no formal invitation had been extended, though a White House official said his involvement "is possible." The Kremlin confirmed that US envoy Steve Witkoff floated the idea of a trilateral format during recent discussions in Moscow, but said it preferred to focus on bilateral preparations. Putin has not ruled out a future meeting with Zelensky but insists that "conditions" for such negotiations are "still far from being created."
Read more: Detained Ukrainian MP says Zelensky opposes peace for personal gain
Deal risks
European capitals remain wary that Trump and Putin could cut a deal without Ukraine's input. Brussels has advanced its own counter-proposal for an immediate ceasefire, mutual troop withdrawals from contested zones, NATO-level security guarantees for Ukraine, and restoration of internationally recognized borders. A 31-nation coalition, led by the UK and France, has indicated readiness to deploy peacekeepers if a comprehensive agreement is reached.
White House sources say the August 15 meeting will be bilateral, but a follow-up session involving Ukraine could be arranged depending on the outcome. With Moscow and Kiev still holding to incompatible demands and Washington shifting its approach, the summit is set against a backdrop of deep mistrust and high stakes for the future of the war.
