Heads up! European leaders and President Trump just dialled in for an online summit to back Ukraine ahead of Trump's face-to-face with Putin in Alaska on Friday. 📱🌍
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz kicked things off by inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with heads from France, the UK, EU and NATO. The goal? Make sure Trump's meeting with Putin doesn't leave Kyiv out in the cold.
The big fear: a deal that favours Moscow while sidelining Ukraine. EU leaders stressed the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own path and reminded everyone that international borders aren't up for grabs. ✊
Zelenskyy has made it clear he won't pull troops out of the Donbas region – despite Russia's claims. Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw forces, go neutral, ditch Western military support and stay out of NATO as a price for peace.
Next up on the agenda: options to keep the pressure on Russia, prepping for future peace talks, and tackling tough questions around territorial claims and security in Eastern Europe.
On Monday, Trump played down big breakthroughs but said he expects 'constructive conversations' and even hinted at possible land swaps. 🤔 That has Kyiv supporters on high alert.
With the Trump-Putin meeting set for Friday, all eyes are on Alaska. Will this be the start of a real peace push, or just a high-stakes poker game? Stay tuned! ✨
For now, it’s a digital power play in a fast-moving world where every call, tweet and handshake counts. 🔥
Reference(s):
European leaders to hold Ukraine online summit before Trump-Putin meet
cgtn.com
