Future of Kyiv cant be decided without Ukrainians: EU leaders

After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remark, European leaders also reiterated their support for Ukraine's territorial integrity. Zelensky rejected any peace plan that involves ceding land to Russia. ‘Path to peace cannot be decided without Ukraine’ — code for bringing Zelensky to Alaska, said EU leaders. In a joint statement, President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Tusk, Prime Minister Starmer, President von der Leyen, and President Stubb said: "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. The current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations." "We reiterate that Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Budapest Memorandum, and successive Russian commitments. We underline our unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity," the statement noted, adding "Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as it concerns their security."

I have just spoken again with President Zelensky, as well as with Chancellor Merz and Prime Minister Starmer.

We remain determined to support Ukraine, working in a spirit of unity and building on the work undertaken within the framework of the Coalition…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 9, 2025

Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine this year have failed to bear fruit, and it remains unclear whether a summit could bring peace any closer as the warring sides' positions are still far apart. Tens of thousands of people have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with millions forced to flee their homes. Putin has resisted multiple calls from the United States, Europe and Kyiv for a ceasefire.