European Union and Ukrainian leaders will hold a video conference with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, seeking to reinforce that any steps toward a ceasefire in Ukraine must not be agreed without Kyiv’s participation.
The call comes two days before Trump’s first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin since returning to office.
The White House has framed the Anchorage talks as a “listening exercise”, signalling limited expectations of immediate progress and underscoring that only one of the belligerents will be present in Alaska. The administration’s positioning follows weeks in which Trump voiced frustration at Moscow’s stance while also saying both sides would need to give ground to end the war.
According to the German government, Wednesday’s call is scheduled for 1200 GMT (1400 CET). Participants will include Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of Germany, Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Poland and the European Union. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will attend. The meeting will be hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
European officials say the objective is to ensure unity ahead of Friday’s summit and to guard against any outcome that sidelines Europe and Ukraine. Several senior European figures see a risk of decisions being taken that could pressure Kyiv into an unfavourable arrangement; they argue that a common EU line would be vital if that scenario emerged.
The Alaska meeting, billed by Trump as a “feel-out”, is the first U.S.–Russia presidential summit since 2021. It was agreed last week after Washington’s envoy reported “great progress” in Moscow, marking a swift shift in approach after earlier signs of deadlock. Trump has said a durable end to the war would involve territorial compromises by both Kyiv and Moscow. Russian forces currently occupy close to one-fifth of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has warned that Ukraine cannot accept terms that would require withdrawal from the Donbas front line, large parts of which are under Russian control. He said abandoning entrenched positions would dismantle a key defensive network and ease any future Russian advance. In Kyiv’s view, territorial questions can only be addressed after a ceasefire is in place and credible security guarantees have been arranged.
Battlefield dynamics form the immediate backdrop. Russian troops have intensified pressure in the east, tightening their hold around Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka, while attempting to improve their tactical position ahead of any diplomatic process. Ukrainian officials argue that Moscow’s recent movements are designed to strengthen its bargaining hand before the Alaska talks.
Public opinion in Ukraine reflects a desire to end the war but not at any price. A Gallup survey conducted in early July found that 69% of Ukrainians favour negotiations to halt the fighting as soon as possible, while other polling shows broad resistance to sweeping concessions. The same research indicates scepticism that hostilities will cease within the next year.
European leaders have been careful in their messaging toward Washington, welcoming U.S. efforts to find a path to a ceasefire while repeating the principle that there should be no agreement about Ukraine without Ukraine. A source familiar with internal U.S. deliberations told Reuters it cannot be ruled out that Trump might explore a deal directly with Putin, although such a move could create difficulties with Kyiv and the EU.
Following the leaders’ call, Trump and Vice-President JD Vance are due to speak with European counterparts at a separate online session at 1300 GMT (1500 CET). A further meeting at 1430 GMT will convene the “coalition of the willing”, a group of countries working on support plans for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
For European capitals, the central concerns are twofold: avoiding any settlement that entrenches Russia’s territorial gains without robust safeguards, and maintaining Western unity should negotiations accelerate. Officials say that, even if the Alaska meeting yields no concrete outcomes, its framing and the signals it sends will shape expectations for subsequent diplomacy.
As Friday approaches, the balance between military realities and diplomatic manoeuvre remains finely poised. Kyiv’s stance is that any cessation of hostilities must be accompanied by enforceable guarantees and a structured process in which Ukraine is a party, not an observer. Europe’s message to Washington ahead of the Alaska summit is that cohesion among allies—and negotiations that include Ukraine—will be essential to any settlement that can hold.
Ukraine disputes reports of Russian “breakthrough” near Dobropillia and Pokrovsk in Donetsk region
