European leaders have expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, while stressing that any peace plan for Ukraine must include ironclad security guarantees for Kyiv.
Leaders Welcome U.S. Push For Peace
In a joint statement issued on August 16, 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Portuguese President António Costa welcomed Trump’s diplomatic push.
They noted Trump’s position that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” and emphasized that the next step should include further talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump is set to meet soon.
Trilateral Summit In The Works
The European leaders also signaled readiness to support a U.S.-Ukraine-Russia trilateral summit, underscoring the importance of Europe’s role in facilitating negotiations.
“We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement read, while welcoming Trump’s pledge that the U.S. is prepared to provide such guarantees.
They stressed that Ukraine’s armed forces should face no restrictions in capability or cooperation with third countries, and reaffirmed that Russia cannot veto Ukraine’s pathway to EU or NATO membership.
Sanctions And Pressure On Russia To Continue
The leaders insisted that international borders must not be changed by force and reaffirmed continued support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia,” they stated, pledging to strengthen sanctions and economic measures against Moscow until a “just and lasting peace” is achieved.
Europe’s Commitment To Ukraine
The statement closed with a firm assurance of solidarity:
“Ukraine can count on our unwavering solidarity as we work towards a peace that safeguards Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests”.
