Trump, Zelenskyy and EU leaders stressed the importance of upcoming peace talks in Alaska

Zelenskyy and Merz await a U.S.-led virtual talk on Ukraine in Berlin, 13 August, 2025.
Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump has described the virtual call with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "very friendly" and expressed hope for a follow-up trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy if the first summit goes well.

The video call on Wednesday was ahead of his upcoming Alaska summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy stressed that “everything concerning Ukraine must be discussed only with Ukraine's participation” and called for a ceasefire with "truly reliable" security guarantees.

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed the importance of Ukraine leading negotiations over its territories, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that "borders cannot be changed by force" and warned that Western support must ensure Kyiv can defend its sovereignty.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed resolute support for Ukraine.

"The prime minister was clear that our support for Ukraine is unwavering - international borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal," Starmer's Downing Street office said in a statement.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, "Today Europe, the U.S. and NATO have strengthened the common ground for Ukraine... We will remain in close coordination. Nobody wants peace more than us, a just and lasting peace."

EU Council President Antonio Costa also stressed the importance of close coordination for a just and lasting peace.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for continued U.S.-EU collaboration to ensure Ukraine’s security.

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