Just days before a highly anticipated summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning that Moscow would face “very severe consequences” if it continues the war in Ukraine.
Speaking after a virtual meeting with European leaders on Wednesday (August 13), Trump delivered the warning while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was also in attendance. Zelenskyy urged that Kyiv must not be sidelined in any peace deal. Trump added that if Friday’s summit goes well, he would propose a three-way meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy. However, he cautioned that there would be no second meeting if he did not receive the necessary answers.
Following the talks, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement saying that if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire by Friday, tougher sanctions must be imposed. They also stressed the need to provide Ukraine with “robust and credible security guarantees.” The statement emphasized that no peace process would be sustainable without Ukraine’s involvement, and any diplomatic solution must safeguard the security interests of both Ukraine and Europe.
After the meeting, Zelenskyy accused Putin of lacking sincerity in peace negotiations and instead increasing pressure along all fronts in Ukraine ahead of the Alaska talks. “Russia wants to show it can occupy all of Ukraine,” he said. He reiterated that securing an immediate ceasefire must be the main goal of the upcoming summit and insisted that sanctions should not only remain but also be strengthened if Russia refuses.
Chancellor Merz described the talks as “highly constructive” but stressed that Ukraine would never accept legal recognition of Russian-occupied territories. “The principle that borders cannot be changed by force must remain in place,” he said, adding that Kyiv must be given strong security guarantees and its armed forces must retain the capacity to rely on long-term Western support.
The upcoming Alaska meeting has sparked concern in both Kyiv and Europe, especially after Trump previously hinted that a truce might require Ukraine and Russia to exchange territory. Speaking in the UK, US Vice President JD Vance said Trump was determined to restore peace in Europe. However, European leaders fear Trump’s position could shift once he faces Putin, whom they view as a shrewd negotiator.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed Europe’s last-minute diplomatic efforts with Trump as “practically insignificant.” Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Russia claimed on Wednesday to have captured the villages of Suvorovo and Nikanorovka in Donetsk. Ukrainian authorities have issued evacuation orders for several areas in response.
