US President Donald Trump met with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video conference format two days before the historic summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The editorial office reports that, according to sources told “Axios”, Trump stated that his main goal in the meeting was to achieve a ceasefire and assess the possibilities of reaching a full-scale peace agreement. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called these talks “very good,” stating that they strengthened the foundations of Europe, the US, and NATO's support for Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte thanked Trump for his leadership and close coordination with allies, using the phrase “the ball is now in Putin's court.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that the “principle of not changing borders by force” must be protected, demanding strong security guarantees for Kyiv in any agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Trump clearly expressed during the Alaska meeting that the US aims for a ceasefire and that Ukrainian territories would not be discussed without Kyiv's participation. Macron added that there is no serious proposal for territorial exchange on the agenda and that Trump aims to hold a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky.
Zelensky, while expressing hope that the Alaska summit would focus on a ceasefire, noted that Putin was “bluffing” about his intention to end the war, and that the Russian army was increasing pressure along all front lines on the eve of the meeting.
Sevinc Kərimova