Posted originally on CTH on August 13, 2025 | Sundance

Today the leaders from Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Poland, Finland, the E.U. and NATO will be holding a conference call with President Trump and Vice President Vance to give instructions in advance of the Trump-Putin summit.

None of the European leaders were invited to the Alaska summit, yet all of the European leaders want to tell President Trump what to do at the summit with President Vladimir Putin.  Because, of course they do…

EUROPE – […] The Europeans recognize that they can only do so much to influence a president who often veers off-script and likes nothing more than to declare a deal.

But on Ukraine recently they have met with some success, for example, by persuading Trump to allow them to transfer U.S. weapons to Ukraine and purchase replacements for themselves.

And in recent days, especially after a meeting with Vice President JD Vance in Britain over the weekend, they have found the U.S. administration receptive to some of their red lines.

After that meeting, Vance, in a television interview, endorsed at least one European position — that the current line of contact and positioning of Ukrainian and Russian troops should be the starting point of any talks — rejecting a Russian demand that Ukraine first surrender its entire eastern Donbas area.

Ahead of Wednesday’s call some Europeans expressed guarded optimism, especially with Trump seeming to lower expectations of securing a deal in Alaska.

[…] Wednesday’s call with Trump caps a flurry of meetings and statements organized by the Europeans since the Alaska summit was announced, all of which have provided a strong endorsement of Kyiv’s position.

Wednesday’s virtual summit hosted by Germany will include the leaders of France, Britain, Italy, Poland, Finland, the E.U. and NATO. The Europeans will meet first with Zelensky before Trump and Vance are expected to join the call.

[…] NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has suggested a deal could involve acknowledging de facto Russian control of some of Ukraine’s regions, without Kyiv officially ceding them.

If Trump’s meeting with Putin advances to “full-scale negotiations,” Rutte said Sunday, territory would “have to be on the table,” as would security guarantees for Ukraine. Rutte said talks should recognize “that Ukraine decides on its own future,” with “no limitations” on its military or on NATO’s posture in Eastern Europe.

Freezing the current front lines would leave about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory in Russian hands. Ukraine, meanwhile, has little leverage for a land swap, holding a small toehold in Russia’s western Kursk region since a faltering offensive last year.

“Europeans can say what they want, but in the end, Ukraine and Russia will have to agree,” said a third European official. “It’s unlikely there’s a peace deal now where Putin says, okay, I’m going to withdraw from all of Ukraine.” (read more)