**European Leaders Left Out of Trump-Putin Summit**
The highly anticipated summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska has sparked concern among European leaders. The meeting, set to take place on Friday, is expected to discuss a potential end to the war in Ukraine. However, despite its significance, Ukraine’s leader President Zelensky will not be attending, leaving many wondering what the true intentions of the US are.
**No Invite for Ukraine**
The decision to leave out Ukraine and Europe from the summit has raised eyebrows among diplomats. Lord Simon McDonald, a former head of the UK Foreign Office, warns that “Putin is going to ask for things that nobody else would concede – with the possible exception of Donald Trump.” This sentiment is shared by the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, who believes that Putin wants a photo opportunity with President Trump and an easing of sanctions.
**Ukraine Refuses Concessions**
President Zelensky has made it clear that he will not agree to any territorial concessions or even a freeze on the current front lines. He argues that this would only embolden Russia’s war machine, which has been waging a full-scale war for over three and a half years.
**Europe Scrambles**
In response to the exclusion of Ukraine from the summit, European leaders are scrambling to get involved. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kallas, hosted a virtual meeting of foreign ministers on Monday, where they called for an unconditional ceasefire before any deal. New sanctions were also announced against Moscow.
**A Central Role for Europe**
Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s foreign minister, believes that Europe needs a more central role in the peace process. He argues that a simple ceasefire would not resolve the problem and that Europe must take its own decision on how to proceed.
**Last-Minute Invite?**
Just days before the summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has secured a remote sit-down between European leaders and President Zelensky and Donald Trump this Wednesday. However, it remains to be seen if a last-minute invite for Ukraine will be extended by President Trump. Lord McDonald warns that “the end will be as protracted as the war has been long” and that the meeting is just a milestone, but not necessarily a step towards finding a solution.
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