Kallas Urges EU Unity Before Trump–Putin Talks on Ukraine

EU High Representative Kaja Kallas has called an urgent virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers for Monday to coordinate a united response ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kallas stressed that any agreement between Washington and Moscow must include Ukraine and the EU, describing it as essential for the security of Europe. She reaffirmed that all temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine under international law and warned that no settlement should pave the way for further Russian aggression.
The meeting will also address developments in the Middle East, including the escalating crisis in Gaza.
Her remarks come as Trump prepares to meet Putin on August 15, despite the Russian leader’s refusal to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy has insisted that any peace talks excluding Kyiv are doomed to fail.
EU leaders, including those from France, Italy, Germany, Poland, the UK, and the European Commission, have jointly declared that peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine’s participation. They also stressed that international borders must not be changed by force.
A Russian ceasefire proposal reportedly suggested trading the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Luhansk for a full ceasefire. In response, Ukrainian and European officials have put forward a counterproposal, demanding a ceasefire before any broader negotiations and full inclusion of both Ukraine and Europe in the process.
Source: Euronews, Reuters, The Guardian