Europe Seeks Talks With Trump Before Putin Meeting in Alaska

European countries are seeking to engage in dialogue with Donald Trump ahead of the US president's planned meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, The Gaze reports, citing Bloomberg.

The leaders intend to speak with the US president by Friday, sources said on condition of anonymity. The likely conversation will be a continuation of tense weekend diplomatic consultations between representatives of the US, Ukraine, and the EU. 

On Saturday, meetings were already held in the UK with US Vice President J. D. Vance and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The following day, EU ambassadors were briefed on the negotiations, and on Monday, the bloc's foreign ministers will hold a virtual meeting. 

The White House has not yet commented on the possible phone call.

It is worth recalling that on August 8, at a meeting of national security advisors from Ukraine and European countries, joint proposals for negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin were agreed upon. 

The plan provides for a mandatory ceasefire before any steps are taken, including a possible “exchange of territories” on a mutual basis, with mandatory security guarantees, including the prospect of Ukraine's accession to NATO. 

These conditions, presented to the American delegation, have become a common “red line” for Kyiv and Europe in any future negotiations with Russia.

As The Gaze informed earlier, on August 10, the European leaders and the President of the European Commission issued a joint statement on peace in Ukraine ahead of the US-Russia meeting. They stressed that negotiations should be based on the current line of contact, with the mandatory participation of Ukraine and reliable security guarantees, in particular for NATO membership.