LONDON. European leaders have welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, while emphasizing the need to maintain pressure on Moscow and protect Ukrainian and European security interests.
Trump announced that he will meet Putin in Alaska on August 15, adding that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was also involved in talks aimed at reaching a deal to resolve the three-and-a-half-year conflict. He suggested the agreement might involve “some swapping of territories,” a proposal that Kyiv and European allies warn could encourage further Russian aggression.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance met British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and representatives from Ukraine and European allies at Chevening House in southeast England on Saturday to discuss Trump’s push for peace. A joint statement from leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Britain, Finland, and the European Commission welcomed U.S. efforts but insisted that any diplomatic solution must safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty and Europe’s security.
The leaders said peace negotiations must begin from the current line of contact and take place only under a ceasefire or reduced hostilities. They reaffirmed that international borders should not be changed by force and that Ukraine must be directly involved in determining its future.
A European official confirmed a counterproposal had been presented at Chevening but declined to share details. The Wall Street Journal reported that European officials had demanded a ceasefire before further steps and that any territorial changes be reciprocal, with strong security guarantees.
A U.S. official said the meetings made “significant progress” toward Trump’s goal of ending the war ahead of the Alaska summit. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron also pledged “unwavering support” for Ukraine while backing efforts for a “just and lasting peace.”
Zelenskiy described the Chevening talks as constructive but rejected any territorial concessions, declaring, “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.” Macron stressed on social media that Ukraine’s future “cannot be decided without the Ukrainians” and that Europe must be part of any solution given its own security stakes.
The renewed diplomatic activity follows Trump envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to Moscow, which Trump described as having achieved “great progress.” Ukraine and the European Union have consistently opposed proposals they see as granting excessive concessions to Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia claims to have annexed four Ukrainian regions and Crimea, but does not fully control all of those areas. Ukrainian troops still hold positions in parts of the occupied territories and had briefly entered Russia’s Kursk region last year.
Fighting remains intense along the 1,000-kilometer front line, with Russian forces controlling about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. Ukrainian military analysts say Russia’s summer offensive has stalled without major gains, and public sentiment in Kyiv remains defiant against any settlement involving the loss of land.
