BRUSSELS — In a bid to secure their interests ahead of the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska, Ukraine and its European allies are pushing for discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces exclusion from the upcoming summit where Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Concerns among European leaders are mounting that an agreement could be reached that circumvents Ukraine’s involvement, potentially endangering its territorial integrity.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has scheduled a series of meetings for Wednesday, inviting Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Zelenskyy, NATO’s chief, and several European leaders. The chancellery announced that these discussions would center on strategies to exert pressure on Russia, as well as preparations for possible peace negotiations and issues surrounding territorial claims and security.
The European Commission has confirmed that President Ursula von der Leyen will join the conversations organized by Chancellor Merz. Leaders from Britain, Finland, France, Italy, and Poland are also expected to participate in the various discussion groups outlined by the chancellery.
Ukrainian and European officials are adamant that any decisions about land swaps or territorial issues must include the input of Ukraine. Despite this, some European leaders acknowledge that Russia is unlikely to relinquish the territories it currently controls.
President Trump mentioned the possibility of land swaps during a press conference, saying, “There’ll be some land swapping going on,
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