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World leaders have held a virtual summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump to align strategies ahead of Trump’s upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Getting into it: The meeting brought together leaders from across Europe and NATO, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The talks centered on ensuring that Ukraine’s sovereignty remains a core element of any peace discussions and that Ukrainian officials are included directly in these negotiations.

Merz stressed that “a ceasefire must come first” and vowed that Europe is “doing everything we can” to influence the outcome of the Trump–Putin talks. Macron warned that “any territorial exchange in Ukraine must only be discussed with Ukraine,” while Starmer underlined that “international borders must not be changed by force.”

Zelensky echoed a lot of the world leaders’ comments, reiterating that a ceasefire should come first, “then security guarantees – real security guarantees.” He made clear that Ukraine will not accept any land concessions without the approval of its people and in line with its constitution, adding that “Putin is bluffing” about the effects of sanctions and that Russia “does not want peace; he wants to occupy Ukraine.” The Ukrainian president also called for stronger sanctions if Russia refuses a ceasefire and thanked allied leaders for presenting “one voice towards one mission” in supporting Ukraine.

Trump described the upcoming Alaska meeting as an opportunity to see whether Putin is serious about ending the war and warned of consequences if he refuses. Trump added, “There will be very severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t agree to end the war after Friday’s meeting.

This all comes as fighting in Ukraine has intensified in recent days, particularly in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces have advanced. Ukrainian battlefield monitoring groups warn that these recent gains, including near the critical hub of Pokrovsk, could significantly weaken Kyiv’s defenses and negotiating position.

Some analysts believe the uptick in combat and territorial advances is a calculated move by Russia to enter the Alaska meeting with stronger leverage, using battlefield momentum to pressure the US and European leaders into accepting terms more favorable to the Kremlin.