BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European leaders have told U.S. President Donald Trump that international borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined European leaders Wednesday for a virtual summit with Trump ahead of his meeting with his Russian counterpart.
Trump is scheduled to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, to find ways for a Ukraine peace deal.
The White House described the meeting as a 'listening exercise.'
The leaders of France, Italy, Poland, Finland, NATO and the European Union also attended Wednesday's call, convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Europe stands ready to continue to work alongside President Trump and President Zelenskyy for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, they added.
'We want a ceasefire at the very beginning, and then a framework agreement must be drawn up,' Merz said at a joint press conference with Zelensky after the meeting.
Zelensky said the online summit agreed on five 'common principles'. They are, Ukraine's partiipation in any peace talks; a trilateral summit of Ukraine, Russia and the United States; Russia agreeing to a ceasefire ahead of it; security guarantees to Ukraine; and sanctions on Russia if Putin rejects ceasefire at Alaska summit.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Zelensky at Downing Street Thursday. He said there is a 'viable chance' of a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine before the Alaska summit.
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