August 11, 2025

Get ready for a high-stakes virtual powwow! German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rang the bells on Monday by inviting US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO's chief, and key European leaders to a set of urgent online meetings on Wednesday. Why all this buzz? Because a big US-Russia summit is slated for Friday in Alaska, and Europe plus Kyiv are worried that important deals might be hammered out behind their backs. Surprisingly, Zelenskyy and European leaders won’t even be in the room on Friday when Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin meet. The German chancellery said the virtual talks will zoom in on "further options for action to put pressure on Russia" and get ready for "possible peace negotiations and related issues of territorial claims and security." Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, confirmed she will join the calls put together by Chancellor Merz. Plus, leaders from Britain, Finland, France, Italy, and Poland will jump in to stir the pot. But here’s the spicy bit: Ukraine and its European friends are loudly insisting that Trump and Putin can’t decide on any land swaps without Ukraine’s nod. Yet, Europe feels Russia won’t just hand back the Ukrainian land it holds. Trump has tossed the idea of "some swapping of territories" for a peace deal. That set alarms ringing in Europe, where officials say they see zero signs Moscow will offer anything. European Union foreign ministers met on Monday after talks among US and European security advisers to keep eyes on Putin’s possible moves. They worry Putin could pull a political win by painting Ukraine as stubborn. Fears are growing that Kyiv could be pressured to give up land or weaken its sovereignty. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas made it crystal clear, "All temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine." She warned that "aggression cannot be rewarded." Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed the stand: "State borders cannot be changed by force," and any land deals "must be agreed upon with Ukraine's participation." But the tough truth is on the ground: Russia illegally took over Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions in 2022 and also controls Crimea since 2014. Despite its huge army and relentless attacks along the 1,000-km front, Russia’s gains have been slow and costly. Tragically, over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have died, says the UN. NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte admitted on CBS that "the issue of the fact that the Russians are controlling at this moment, factually, a part of Ukraine has to be on the table" after the Alaska talks. He said the West will "never accept that in a legal sense," yet might quietly acknowledge reality — like the US did with Soviet control over Baltic states in the past. But Zelenskyy faces a massive challenge. Giving up any land before a ceasefire? Nearly impossible after thousands of soldiers died defending it. Putin’s real game might not be land but a softer, "Russia-friendly" Ukraine that won’t rush into NATO — similar to breakaway areas in Georgia. Zelenskyy and Europe want fighting to stop first. Any land swaps? That’s Ukraine’s call, not a deal breaker for peace. There’s also talk about security guarantees to stop future wars. Europeans insist Ukraine should have strong forces — no limits on army size or weapons — and freedom to choose EU membership, without forced neutrality. The Trump administration, however, has already ruled out Ukraine joining NATO anytime soon. With these fiery debates heating up, the world watches closely as leaders prepare for the big Alaska showdown.

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Tags: Ukraine, Russia, Trump, Putin, Nato, Peace talks,