As presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin gear up to meet in Alaska this Friday, European leaders are uniting behind a clear message: Ukraine must join any peace talks. After three years of conflict, Kyiv's perspective is nonnegotiable, they say.
Last weekend, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker suggested Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could attend the summit. While the White House has yet to confirm, the proposal has energized EU foreign ministers, who will meet virtually on Monday with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he hoped and assumed Zelenskyy would be present. Leaders from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden echoed the call, stressing that no deal should proceed without Kyiv's input. Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas added that any U.S.-Russia agreement must include both Ukraine and the European bloc.
Diplomacy is advancing off the battlefield as well. Zelenskyy has dialed in 13 calls with global counterparts, from Germany to France, building a united front. On the ground, Ukraine's military has reclaimed a village in the Sumy region, just 20 kilometers from the main northern front.
Yet Moscow's demands remain tough: Kyiv must withdraw its forces, declare neutrality, cease Western military aid and abandon NATO aspirations. Ukraine insists its sovereignty can only be restored through diplomacy – and with Kyiv at the table, not excluded from it.
With the Alaska summit on the horizon, the world will watch if the United States listens to Europe's push for inclusive negotiations – and whether Ukraine finally secures its voice in shaping peace.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
