Putin-Trump Meeting: Europe Insists on Ukraine's Participation in Any Peace Talks

In a powerful diplomatic move, North European and Baltic countries have made it clear that any future negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine must only take place under a ceasefire and with the full participation of Kyiv. This stance was issued just before the highly anticipated summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Putin and Trump are scheduled to meet in Alaska this Friday in an effort to end the nearly three-year-long conflict. This summit has caused widespread concern, particularly in Kyiv and other European capitals, which have warned against the dangers of excluding Ukraine from any negotiations about its future.

In a joint statement, the leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden expressed their "steadfast support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity." While they welcomed Trump's initiative to "help end this war," they simultaneously emphasized that the participation of both Ukraine and Europe in any talks is non-negotiable.

The leaders' statement added, "The people of Ukraine must be free to decide their future. The path to peace cannot be drawn without Ukraine's voice." They also underscored a fundamental principle: "No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine, and no decisions about Europe without Europe." The statement concluded by noting that negotiations must only be held "in the context of a ceasefire" and affirmed their countries' continued financial and military support for Ukraine, as well as their commitment to applying "restrictive measures" against Russia.