European leaders urge Trump to include Ukraine and defend their security interests in summit talks
The EU leaders have appealed to Trump after he made comments during a White House press conference on Monday that a peace deal with Russia would require Ukraine to give up some Russian-held territory and could include some "land swapping" with Ukraine.
A peace deal requiring Ukraine to accept swapping Ukrainian territory with Russia has been rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
It would also be illegal under its constitution.
But Russia appears to be on the verge of claiming new territory in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, potentially to use as leverage in any peace negotiations at his summit with Trump in Alaska.
It will be the first US-Russia leaders summit in four years and it is not clear whether Ukraine will take part in Friday's meeting.
Ukrainian officials have made it clear that Zelensky was prepared to travel to Alaska if invited by Trump.
European leaders, who have also been sidelined from the meeting, released a statement on Tuesday saying 'the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine'.
'A just and lasting peace that brings stability and security must respect international law, including the principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and that international borders must not be changed by force,' they said in a statement.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is Putin's closest ally in Europe, was the only EU leader who did not endorse the statement.
The EU and Ukraine are wary that Putin, who has waged the biggest land war in Europe since 1945, might secure favorable concessions and set the outlines of a peace deal without them.The overarching fear for European countries is that Putin will set his sights on another European country next if he wins in Ukraine.
Europe will make a fresh attempt to rally Trump to Ukraine's cause on Wednesday at virtual meetings convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Trump did not confirm whether he would take part in that session, but said: 'I'm going to get everybody's ideas' before meeting with Putin.
Last month Trump imposed a deadline on Putin of August 8 for peace efforts to make progress, or he said Washington would impose punitive sanctions and tariffs.
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