Europe Warns US-Russia Against Ukraine Land Swap Without Kyiv Consent

Ahead of the summit in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, European and Ukrainian leaders strongly assert that any peace deal involving Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine's direct participation. Trump has suggested a possible exchange of territories as part of a peace agreement, but European officials see no indication that Russia is willing to relinquish control of occupied Ukrainian lands. European Union foreign ministers and leaders, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, emphasize that all temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine and that aggression must not be rewarded. Germany also insists that a lasting and just peace must involve Ukraine, rejecting any decisions made over Ukraine’s head. The European Parliament’s Renew Europe group and other European representatives have called for urgent diplomatic efforts to ensure Ukraine’s voice is heard in peace talks, warning against decisions made in closed meetings without Kyiv and Brussels. Despite these strong positions, there is acknowledgment of the challenging realities on the ground, including Russia's illegal annexations and ongoing military actions in eastern and southern Ukraine.