European leaders issued a joint statement after assessing the briefing Donald Trump gave them on the Alaska summit and listening to Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s views, saying that “the next step should now be further talks” with the Ukrainian president.
The European leaders stressed that they “stand ready to work with (US) President Trump and (Ukrainian) President Zelensky on a trilateral summit with European support.”
“We stand ready to put pressure on Russia,” the statement said.
“Ukraine can count on our unwavering solidarity as we work for a peace that safeguards the vital security interests of Ukraine and Europe.”
“It is up to Ukraine to make decisions on its own soil. International borders must not be changed by force,” the statement continued, adding that the leaders are “determined to do more to keep Ukraine strong, to achieve an end to the conflict and a just and lasting peace.”
However, Europe appears to be taking a step back from its call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
In their joint statement, the European leaders welcomed “Trump’s efforts to stop the killings and called for a “just and lasting peace,” but made no mention of a ceasefire.
This is a significant shift in the stance of Ukraine’s allies, who until Wednesday insisted that “meaningful negotiations can only take place within the framework of a ceasefire.”
The shift comes after Trump backtracked, telling Kiev and his European allies that he would rather secure a direct peace deal in Ukraine than a temporary ceasefire.
The Europeans' conditions In their joint statement, the European leaders also set out their conditions for peace between Russia and Ukraine as follows:
"Unwavering" security guarantees for Ukraine Involvement of the Alliance of the Willing in post-war Ukraine
No restrictions on Ukraine's military or cooperation with third countries No Russian veto on Ukraine's accession to NATO or the EU
The statement is signed by:
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 Stubbs Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk President of the European Council Antonio Costa
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