Europe coordinates with Trump ahead of Putin summit

European leaders brief Trump before the Alaska meeting with Putin, aiming to shape the US position on Ukraine.

Europe coordinates with Trump ahead of Putin summit in Alaska

European leaders meet in Berlin to coordinate a position on Ukraine with Donald Trump and JD Vance on the line for Friday’s Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin. The participants include key European figures and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who plans to join in person to reinforce Kyiv’s red lines and signal unity with its partners.
The calls are framed as a last chance to influence Washington’s posture before the talks in Alaska. The aim is to keep pressure on Moscow while avoiding concessions that could be used as a pretext for a future war. Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected proposals that would trade Ukrainian territory for a ceasefire, and Kyiv wants any agreement to stop short of rewarding aggression.
The outcome depends on how firmly the United States sticks to its lines and how transparently Europe can translate alliance rhetoric into practical support on the ground, including security guarantees and ongoing aid for Ukraine.

Europe is trying to keep a united front while navigating American political shifts. The talks reveal how much leverage Europe still has when the White House weighs domestic politics against strategic risk in eastern Europe. If Washington lines up behind Kyiv, Berlin and Paris may see that as a banner moment; if not, European partners risk a credibility crisis.
The dynamic also exposes a broader question about alliance resilience. A fragile US stance could embolden Moscow or complicate Kyiv’s stamina. In short, this diplomatic choreography matters as much as any concrete promise from Friday’s summit.

Highlights

Diplomacy tests unity and resolve more than headlines suggest.