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European Union leaders have issued a strong warning against altering Ukraine’s borders by force, just days before a high-stakes US-Russia summit on Ukraine scheduled for Friday, August 15, 2025, in Alaska. In a joint statement signed by 26 of the EU’s 27 heads of state, the leaders emphasized that “the people of Ukraine must have the freedom to decide their future” and that “international borders must not be changed by force.” Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, known for his pro-Russia stance, notably did not sign the statement.
The statement reflects deep European concerns about Russia’s actions in Ukraine, particularly among nations bordering Russia or those with historical memories of Soviet occupation. Recent moves, such as Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Baltic countries reinstating conscription, and Poland investing billions in border fortifications, underscore fears of potential Russian aggression beyond Ukraine. The EU considers any legal recognition of Russia’s control over Ukrainian territories seized by force as unacceptable.
US President Donald Trump has suggested that a peace deal could involve “some swapping of territories,” potentially allowing Russia to retain Crimea and the entire Donbas region in exchange for relinquishing parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which it partially occupies. However, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed last week that while some Ukrainian territory may remain under de facto Russian control, formal recognition should be avoided, as it would require a Ukrainian constitutional change through a national referendum—a politically challenging process for President Volodymyr Zelensky that could threaten his government.
Analyst Prof. Mark Galeotti, speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, noted that “no one is talking about international formal recognition” at present. He suggested that Zelensky might accept de facto Russian control of nearly 20% of Ukraine without altering the constitution, maintaining that international borders remain unchanged.
Hungary’s absence from the statement underscored a lack of EU unity. Orban criticized the EU for attempting to set conditions for a summit to which it was not invited, urging the bloc to hold its own talks with Russia—a proposal at odds with the EU’s stance of avoiding direct negotiations with Moscow since the invasion began in February 2022. On Monday, Trump revealed he had consulted Orban, who reportedly dismissed Ukraine’s chances of defeating Russia militarily as unrealistic.
Zelensky expressed skepticism about Russia’s commitment to peace, citing recent Russian military movements as evidence of preparations for new offensives. Ukraine’s military downplayed reports of a Russian breakthrough near Pokrovsk in Donetsk but acknowledged a “difficult and dynamic” situation.
EU leaders, along with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, are set to hold virtual talks with Trump on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, to emphasize European security and Ukraine’s interests. Starmer stressed that peace must be “built with Ukraine, not imposed upon it,” amid growing concerns that any agreement reached in Alaska may fail to deliver a just or lasting resolution.
