European leaders have moved quickly to put guardrails around an unexpectedly fast-moving diplomatic push between Washington and Moscow, insisting that any pathway to peace must protect Ukrainian and broader European security interests and that Kyiv itself must be central to negotiations. A joint statement from the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Britain and Finland together with the president of the European Commission welcomed plans for talks but said the “path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine” and that negotiations could only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. According to reporting, the statement also insisted any settlement must include “robust and credible security guarantees that enable Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.” (Reporting from the Guardian and Reuters.)

The immediate diplomatic activity culminated in a meeting at Chevening House south‑east of London, where US vice‑president JD Vance met British foreign secretary David Lammy alongside Ukrainian officials and national security advisers from several European capitals to discuss the forthcoming Trump–Putin summit. European delegations at Chevening presented what has been described as a counter‑proposal that conditions talks on a ceasefire and insists any territorial arrangements be reciprocal rather than imposed while fighting continues. The Wall Street Journal quoted a European negotiator saying: “You can’t start a process by ceding territory in the middle of fighting.” European officials declined to publicly detail the proposals, but several outlets reported the counter‑proposal emphasised that territory cannot be traded away while hostilities are ongoing. (Reporting from The Guardian, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal and Kyiv Independent.)

In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky categorically rejected the idea that Ukraine should cede land to end the war. In an evening address to the nation he said Ukraine “will not give Russia any awards for what it has done” and that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.” Washington Post reporting also recorded a video message from Zelensky in which he warned that any decisions taken without Ukraine would be “dead decisions.” He later described the Chevening meeting as constructive and said “all our arguments were heard,” stressing that the path to peace “should be determined together and only together with Ukraine.” (Reporting from The Guardian, The Washington Post and Kyiv Independent.)

European capitals have been explicit that their support for diplomatic initiatives does not equate to accepting unilateral changes on the ground. France’s president Emmanuel Macron wrote on X after a series of calls with allies that “Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians, who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now,” and stressed that Europeans “will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake.” The UK government said Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Macron agreed on the need to maintain pressure on Russia and to pursue a just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people, while keeping close contact in the days ahead. (Reporting from The Guardian and an official UK government statement.)

The mechanics of the White House‑brokered summit have also raised practical and legal questions. President Trump announced he would meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska on 15 August; Al Jazeera has noted complications surrounding a Russian leader’s travel given the existence of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant and highlighted scepticism among Ukraine and its European allies that a summit could legitimise Russian gains without enforceable guarantees. Reporting has also recalled Kremlin demands for territorial concessions and for a pause in Western support. The White House had not immediately responded to requests for comment about the European counter‑proposals, according to multiple outlets. (Reporting from Al Jazeera, The Guardian and Reuters.)

For now, European leaders and Kyiv appear united on a set of red lines: any negotiation must be anchored to a ceasefire or a clear reduction in hostilities, must protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and must be accompanied by credible security guarantees. How those principles will be translated into a framework acceptable to both Kyiv and Moscow — and whether the Alaska meeting will advance or complicate that task — remains uncertain. European officials say they will continue to coordinate closely in the coming days as plans for the summit crystallise. (Reporting from Reuters, Kyiv Independent and The Guardian.)

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Source: Noah Wire Services