(NewsNation) — European Union leaders appealed to President Donald Trump on Tuesday to defend their security interests at Friday’s summit with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, attempting to exert influence over the meeting from which they are sidelined.
Trump has said he wants to see whether Putin is serious about ending the war. Trump said he would know within “two minutes” whether Putin was serious.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, has little faith in any sincerity from Putin.
“Indeed, we all support President Trump’s determination, and together we must shape positions that will not allow Russia to deceive the world once again. We see that the Russian army is not preparing to end the war. On the contrary, they are making movements that indicate preparations for new offensive operations,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.
The Europeans on Wednesday will make a fresh attempt to rally Trump to Ukraine’s cause at virtual meetings convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump did not confirm whether he would take part but did say that “I’m going to get everybody’s ideas” before meeting with Putin.
Zelenskyy has rejected the idea that Ukraine must commit to giving up land to secure a ceasefire. Russia holds shaky control over four of the country’s regions, two in the country’s east and two in the south.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the chief of Zelenskyy’s office, said anything short of Russia’s strategic defeat would mean that any ceasefire deal would be on Moscow’s terms, erode international law and send a dangerous signal to the world.