European leaders have urged Donald Trump to defend Ukraine's interests during upcoming talks with Vladimir Putin. Signatories of the appeal include Giorgia Meloni, Emmanuel Macron, the German Chancellor, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Their statement stressed that any diplomatic settlement must guarantee the security of both Ukraine and Europe and include concrete safeguards for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The European leaders also emphasized that meaningful negotiations are only possible with a ceasefire or a significant reduction in military activity. They rejected Moscow's calls for Ukrainian territorial concessions and instead reaffirmed their commitment to continued military, financial, and sanctions support for Ukraine. They highlighted that the path to peace cannot be decided without Ukraine's involvement and that internationally recognized borders must remain unchanged.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine would not allow a second partition of the country and would stand firm on its positions. Zelensky noted that Putin seeks to use a ceasefire as an opportunity to legalize the occupation and gain territorial concessions. He called on international partners for clearer and more concrete support.
Talks in London between Ukrainian and Western advisers focused on coordination ahead of a possible Trump-Putin meeting. While European leaders continue to declare their support for Ukraine, they underline the need for real and practical steps to ensure peace and stability in the region.
Meanwhile, British newspaper The Sunday Times reported that coalition countries are currently not planning to deploy their troops to Ukraine and are instead focusing efforts on strengthening Ukrainian defense industries. The Ukrainian side is urging partners for more active steps to support and ensure security.
