Brussels, Belgium – European Union member states said on Tuesday that Ukrainians should be free to decide their future. This statement comes as part of talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plan to speak with Trump on Wednesday ahead of the summit in Alaska. They are concerned that Washington, Ukraine’s main arms supplier so far, could dictate unfavorable peace terms to Kiev.
“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be determined without it,” the leaders of all EU countries except Hungary said in a joint statement. They added that any peace agreement must respect international law, including Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity.
Russia advances in eastern Ukraine
Trump said that any peace agreement would include “exchanging some territory for the benefit of both” Russia and Ukraine. This sparked panic in Kiev and European capitals, because almost all of the territory in question is Ukrainian.
Russian forces have made a surprise incursion into eastern Ukraine near the coal-rich town of Dobrobia. This move may be designed to increase pressure on Kiev to cede land as the US and Russian presidents prepare to meet.
An official deep state war map in Ukraine showed on Tuesday that Russian forces have advanced at least 10 kilometers (six miles) north on two axes in recent days. This advance is part of their campaign for full control of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
This progress is one of the most dramatic developments of the past year.
Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin adviser, said the Russians were able to advance due to a “partial collapse of the front.” This is due to a shortage of soldiers in Ukraine.
“This breakthrough is a gift to Putin and Trump during the negotiations,” Markov said. He noted that it could increase pressure on Kyiv to cede territory under any agreement.
Meanwhile, Kiev’s army said it recaptured two villages in the eastern Sumy region on Monday. This is part of a small retreat in more than a year of slow and dwindling Russian gains in the southeast.
