EU unity ahead of Alaska summit

EU ministers urge a united front with the United States as Trump and Putin prepare to meet in Alaska.

EU pushes unity ahead of Trump Putin Alaska meeting

EU foreign ministers on Monday called for transatlantic unity to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia after an emergency meeting convened ahead of a Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said ministers expressed support for US steps toward a just peace, including tougher sanctions, more military aid for Ukraine, and broader backing for Kyiv’s budget needs and EU accession prospects. The gathering included Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and followed the announced plan for a high-level, trilateral possibility that could shape the talks.

The summit context has European leaders worried they could be sidelined in any deal. A joint statement from the leaders of Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the UK and the European Commission asserted that peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Kyiv and rejected Putin’s ceasefire offer to exchange Donetsk and Luhansk. They stressed unity in pursuing a peace that safeguards Europe’s security interests. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are set to chair an emergency meeting on Wednesday that Trump and Zelenskyy may join, with other European leaders and officials, including NATO’s secretary-general and EU leadership, expected to participate. Gaza’s humanitarian crisis also features on the agenda, signaling that regional conflicts weigh on Europe’s diplomacy.

Europe is trying to keep its influence while the United States leads in this moment of high-stakes diplomacy. The push for unity exposes a tension: the bloc wants a say in any peace process, but its leverage comes with a heavy dependence on Washington’s plans. That dynamic risks creating a sense that Europe is reactive rather than autonomous when it comes to security and defense. At home, Europe must justify new sanctions and budget support for Ukraine amid competing budget pressures and political debates. The Gaza crisis adds another layer, testing whether Western diplomacy can stay coherent across multiple flashpoints.

Highlights

Europe faces a real test of whether unity can translate into lasting influence