Berlin, August 13: European leaders expressed guarded optimism on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump will make securing a Ukraine ceasefire a priority when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, while stressing they will oppose any agreement that cedes territory to Moscow.
After a series of virtual talks involving German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and other European and EU leaders, officials said Trump appeared receptive to their positions, though his comments remained vague.
Merz said Trump had agreed to focus on a ceasefire as a first step, while Macron emphasised that territorial questions could only be negotiated by Ukraine’s president. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London’s support for Kyiv was “unwavering” and insisted international borders “must not be changed by force.”
European leaders presented Trump with five core demands: Ukraine’s inclusion in negotiations; talks only after a ceasefire; territorial discussions starting from the current “contact line” without recognising Russia’s claims; robust security guarantees for Kyiv; and a coordinated transatlantic strategy to increase pressure on Moscow if talks stall.
The diplomacy comes amid concern over Trump’s recent suggestion that a peace deal could involve “land swapping” allowing Russia to retain captured areas. Zelenskyy rejected the idea, calling Putin’s threats a bluff and urging Washington to impose tougher sanctions.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said “all options are on the table” if Putin makes no concessions, including ramping up sanctions or secondary tariffs. The Biden administration recently imposed secondary tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. Merz warned that past talks with Putin had been followed by intensified military action, saying, “This time it has to be different.”
