Zelensky calls for ‘fair end to war' as Europe urges pressure on Putin
Ahead of Donald Trump's planned peace talks with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, a joint statement by France, Italy, Germany, Poland, the UK and the European Commission said: 'The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.
'Only an approach that combines active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on the Russian Federation to end their illegal war can succeed.'
On Sunday, Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said: 'The end of the war must be fair, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people today for the sake of peace in Ukraine, which is defending the vital security interests of our European nations.
'Ukraine values and fully supports the statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Tusk, Prime Minister Starmer, President Ursula von der Leyen, and President Stubb on peace for Ukraine.'
But the European leaders could be set for a collision course with Mr Trump, the US president.
'We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force,' their statement said.
On Friday Mr Trump told reporters that any peace deal may involve 'some swapping of territories'.
'We're gonna get some [territory] back. We're gonna get some switched. There'll be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both,' he said.
Mr Zelensky is steadfastly opposed to this, vowing to reject any deal that cedes his country's borders. He insisted that 'Ukrainians will not give their land to occupiers '.
The White House has not ruled out inviting the Ukrainian president to the Alaska summit, according to an NBC report.
Putin and Mr Zelensky have not been in the same room since before the war broke out. The only time they have met was in Paris in 2019.
'War cannot be ended without us, without Ukraine'
If the meeting goes ahead, it will mark Mr Trump's first sit down with Putin in six years, after a string of 'disappointing' phone calls in a bid to end the conflict.
Mr Trump last met the Russian president in 2019, on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Osaka, Japan. The last US-Russia summit took place in 2021 when former US president Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva.
A senior US official told NBC News that while no visit had been finalised, it was 'absolutely' possible the Ukrainian president would join his US and Russian counterparts.
'Everyone is very hopeful that would happen,' the official said.
'The president remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin.'
Mr Zelensky said the summit is taking place 'very far away from this war, which is raging on our land, against our people, and which anyway can't be ended without us, without Ukraine'.
On Saturday, Ukraine launched an overnight drone attack on the south Russian region of Saratov, striking an oil refinery and setting it on fire. Russian air defence took down 121 drones, according to Roman Busargin, the regional governor.
Debris from a destroyed drone damaged three apartments, killing one person, hospitalising another and prompting an evacuation of residents.
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