EU Bigwigs Stand Strong for Ukraine, Warn Against Giving Up Land Before Trump-Putin Talk
BRUSSELS, Belgium – August 12, 2025: A bunch of European leaders got together and made a statement showing they all agree Ukraine gets to decide its own future. This comes before a really important meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK are saying loud and clear that no peace deal can happen without Ukraine being part of the talks. They’re not happy about ideas floating around that Ukraine might have to hand over some of its land to Russia.
Worries About ‘Land Swap’ Ideas
The European leaders are speaking out because President Trump said a peace deal with Russia might involve swapping land. This has a lot of people in Europe and Ukraine worried. They think Ukraine might get pushed into giving up land it’s lost since Russia invaded in 2022.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is totally against giving up any land. He posted online that Ukrainians won’t give their land to the people who took it and that any choice made without Ukraine is like a choice against peace. The new European statement totally backs him up.
The meeting between Trump and Putin is happening on August 15, 2025, in Alaska. It’s the first time they’ve met face-to-face since the war started, and a lot of people think it’s a really important point in the conflict.
Europe’s Stance
The joint statement, signed by people like France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, points out that international law says you can’t just take someone else’s land by force. The European leaders are glad President Trump is trying to end the war, but they’re saying their support depends on Ukraine’s say in this matter.
The folks who signed the statement also included EU foreign policy boss Kaja Kallas and the leaders of Finland and the UK. They all want to make sure Ukraine’s best interests are protected during these talks.
They all agree that any real talk must start with a ceasefire or by calming things down. The statement also says Ukraine needs real security measures to stop Russia from attacking again in the future.
Ukraine’s Connection to the EU
The European leaders are sticking up for Ukraine because they want Ukraine to join the EU. Ukraine got the green light to join in June 2022 and has been working towards becoming a member ever since.
Ukraine is going through the steps to make its laws more like those of the EU. It is an important thing for being a member of the European Union.
This move is a big message to Russia, which has been trying to mess things up in Ukraine. The EU is giving Ukraine money, military aid, and support in general to help it join and make its permanent future a European country.
What’s Next?
Some people think the statement is a plan to try to get ahead of any deals Trump and Putin might make. Europe is worried that the meeting could go around their plans and promises to Ukraine.
The White House said President Trump could agree to a three-way meeting with President Zelenskyy. But Russian President Putin wants to meet with Trump one on one and doesn’t want to talk to Zelenskyy right now, which makes things harder.
Some Ukrainian people are saying they might be willing to talk about the land they lost, but they still say giving up land is not okay. This puts more pressure on Kyiv as it tries to get peace.
All in all, the European leaders’ statements are nothing but a reminder that any true peace needs to respect international laws. It’s a firm reminder that Ukraine’s future will not be decided without Ukraine’s involvement.”
