European Leaders Hopefully Hoping After Calling Trump Before Ukraine’s summit

The European leaders seemed cautiously optimistic after having a virtual meeting with Donald Trump on Wednesday, two days before meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the end of the war in Ukraine.

Trump has been reported to have told Europeans that his goal for the meeting is to reconcile between Moscow and Kiev.

He also agreed that all territorial problems with the participation of Volodimir Zelenski should be solved and that security guarantees should be part of the deal, according to France Emmanuel Macron.

Talking to Trump allowed him to “clarify his intentions” and gave Europeans a chance to “express our expectations,” Macron said.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance spoke with the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Poland, as well as EU head Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Chief Mark Rute.

The Europeans were away from the quick -organized summit in Alaska, and their telephone conversation today was an attempt in the last moat to maintain the interests of Ukraine and the security of the continent in the foreground in Trump’s mind.

It seems to some extent that it works. On Wednesday night, Trump appreciated the “A ten” meeting and said Russia would face “very serious” consequences unless it had stopped its war in Ukraine.

He also said that if the Friday meeting went well, he would try to organize a “fast second”, including both Putin and Zelenski.

Yet, in their statements, European leaders have restored the need for Kiev to participate in any final decision – the transmission of a basic nervousness that Putin could ultimately convince Trump to recognize Ukrainian land in exchange for the cessation of fire.

“The most important thing is that Europe convinces Donald Trump that one cannot trust Russia,” said Donald Tusk of Poland, while German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz stressed that the leaders “made it clear that Ukraine should be on the table when subsequent meetings were held.”

If the Russian side declined to make any discounts, “then the United States and we Europeans have to and we have to increase the pressure,” Mertz said.

As the US-Russia summit was announced last week, Trump made several references to the “displacement of the Earth” between Kiev and Moscow-challenges serious concerns in Ukraine and then he may prepare to succumb to Putin’s long-standing demand for large parts of Ukrainian territory.

On Wednesday morning, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Fadeev reiterated that Russia’s position had not changed since Putin put it in June 2024.

By the time Putin said the cessation of fire would begin the moment the Ukrainian government withdrew from four regions, partially occupied by Russia – Donetsk, Luhansk, Herson and the premise. He also said that Ukraine would have to officially give up his efforts to join the NATO Military Union.

These are maximalist demands that neither Kyiv nor its European partners see as viable.

Zelenski said he was convinced that Russia would use any region that is allowed to keep as a springboard for future invasions.

A way to counteract this threat may be to guarantee for security – intended as commitments to guarantee the long -term protection of Ukraine.

In statements issued after a telephone conversation with Trump, several European leaders said such guarantees were mentioned, and the United Kingdom Prime Minister Kayer Starmer said “real progress” was made in this regard.

Since the spring, the United Kingdom and France have been leading their efforts to create the so -called “Coalition of Desire” – a group of nations that have promised to rewrite Russia to invade Ukraine.

On Wednesday, the group said it was “ready to play an active role”, including by unfolding “the force of reassurance after hostilities have ceased” – although the form, composition and role of such power are still unclear.

Meanwhile, on the front lines, the summer of Russia continues to squeeze. Referring to the sudden progress of Moscow’s troops near Dobropil, in the Donsk region, Zelenski said Putin pretends that sanctions are not effective in damaging the Russian economy.

“I told Trump and our European allies that Putin Bluffles,” the Ukrainian president said, calling them to apply “greater pressure” to Russia.

For his part, Trump seems to have admitted that even when he meets Putin face -to -face, he may not be able to stop killing civilians in Ukraine.

“I had this conversation with him … but then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home or residential building and people lie dead on the street.

“So I guess the answer is probably not.”