President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to hold talks with European leaders and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, two days before Trump meets Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the Ukraine war.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited leaders from France, Britain, Finland, Italy, Poland, the EU and NATO to virtual talks alongside Ukraine, his spokesperson announced on Monday.
In the statement, the chancellery said that the talks would look at “further options for action to put pressure on Russia” alongside “preparations for possible peace negotiations and related issues of territorial claims and security.”
On Wednesday, Zelensky and EU and NATO officials will reportedly join a virtual meeting hosted by Britain to coordinate positions, before attending a video conference with Trump and US Vice President JD Vance several hours later.
Europe’s “coalition of the willing,” a group of countries ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in the case of a ceasefire, will also meet subsequently on Wednesday afternoon.
Trump has not yet confirmed whether he has accepted the invitation for the call, though he promised he was “going to get everybody’s ideas” before meeting Putin.
The European Commission confirmed the participation of President Ursula von der Leyen “in the calls organized by Chancellor Merz.”
The announcement follows a virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday afternoon to discuss the upcoming bilateral summit between the Russian and US presidents scheduled for Friday in Alaska.
Ukraine and the European Union have insisted that Kyiv and Europe must be involved in any deal to end the war in Ukraine and are adamant that Trump and Putin cannot decide to concede Ukrainian land behind their backs.
A joint statement by leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and the European Commission over the weekend emphasized that “the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine” and pushed Trump to exert more pressure on Russia.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, said on Monday that “the US has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously” and urged Trump to involve Ukraine and the EU in talks for “Ukraine’s and the whole of Europe’s security.”
Ukraine and its European allies have also insisted that a ceasefire should precede any negotiations about territory.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has repeatedly made maximalist demands in negotiations, including that Kyiv withdraw from several regions claimed by Moscow, commit to being a neutral state and be excluded from joining NATO.
On Monday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters that Trump has pledged to consult with European partners on their position before the meeting in Alaska, adding, “I have many fears and a lot of hope.”
When asked by CNN if Zelensky might be permitted to attend the Alaska summit, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said, “I certainly think it’s possible.”
“There can’t be a deal that everybody that’s involved in it doesn’t agree to,” he added.
On Monday, Trump hit out at Zelensky after the Ukrainian president said in a defiant statement that Ukraine’s territorial integrity is enshrined in the constitution and is non-negotiable, adding that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.”
“I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelensky was saying, ‘Well, I have to get constitutional approval,’” Trump told reporters on Monday.
“I mean, he’s got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap, because there’ll be some land swapping going on,” Trump added, though it was Russia that invaded Ukraine.
“I know that through Russia and through conversations with everybody,” Trump concluded, adding that it would be “for the good of Ukraine.”
Despite Trump’s phrasing, all territories being discussed lie within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, thus the plan would require Kyiv to cede land to Moscow in exchange for Moscow dropping claims to areas it doesn’t fully control – an idea Kyiv firmly rejects.
Trump also described the summit as a “feel-out meeting,” saying that he would know within “the first two minutes” if it would be possible to strike a deal to end the war.