EU Scrambles to Influence Trump Before Putin Call: Fears Grow Over Ukraine’s Exclusion
Tensions Rise as Trump Schedules Private Call With Putin
ROME — In a week loaded with high-stakes diplomacy, European leaders are rushing to influence former U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of a scheduled private conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The call, confirmed by the White House to occur this week, marks the first direct dialogue between Trump and Putin in nearly three months — and it may reshape U.S. posture in the next chapter of the Ukraine war peace negotiations.
According to Financial Times, Trump’s advisers view the Putin call as a defining moment for the American role in peace talks. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have already arranged a second joint call with Trump within four days. Their aim: to ensure Ukraine remains central in any forthcoming deal.
Image caption: European leaders hold emergency call with Trump to prevent sidelining of Ukraine.
“We can only hope that there will be further progress,” Merz said, emphasizing the urgent cooperation between Washington and Europe to halt the war. Still, European officials are uneasy. Their deepest fear? That Trump may strike an independent bargain with Putin — potentially sidelining Kyiv in a bid for personal diplomatic victory.
Putin Rejects Talks With Zelenskyy as Trump Takes the Lead
Putin, meanwhile, has flatly declined multiple face-to-face meeting offers with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, including one last week in Turkey. No reason was given, but the message is clear: Moscow is dictating the terms.
Trump, careful not to publicly criticize the Kremlin, defended his decision to personally initiate the Putin call. “I always felt a peace deal was not possible without me,” he stated on Friday.
After the Putin conversation, Trump is expected to speak with Zelenskyy. In anticipation, Zelenskyy flew to Rome on Sunday, meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — their first encounter since a heated exchange in Washington in February.
“This was a good meeting,” Zelenskyy reported, saying it centered around the failed Istanbul negotiations, where Russia had sent only a low-level delegation. “I reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness for real diplomacy and stressed the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” he added.
Russia Prepares Terms While Ukraine Stays Vigilant
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Rubio that Moscow is working on a document that will outline its terms for a ceasefire. Rubio, however, was direct: “We don’t want to be involved in this process of just endless talks,” he said on CBS.
“There has to be some progress… If a document is agreed in the next few days, we can feel good about continuing to remain engaged. If not, perhaps we’ll have a different assessment.”
There are growing concerns in Kyiv that Trump might walk away from negotiations altogether — a move that could weaken or sever U.S. military support, leaving Ukraine more vulnerable. Kyiv’s strategy has hinged on transatlantic unity. A gap between U.S. and EU positions could prove catastrophic.
That urgency was reflected in Zelenskyy’s participation in Friday’s conference call with Trump and EU leaders. “He’s staying close to the action — every single step,” one official noted.
Diplomatic Pressure Mounts as Russian Attacks Intensify
In Rome, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen labeled this week “crucial” for diplomatic progress. While she didn’t offer details, the urgency in her voice was unmistakable.
Meanwhile, Russia has escalated military operations, launching 273 drones and decoys over the weekend — the largest drone assault since the war’s onset. Ukraine’s Air Force described it as a tactical move to drain air defenses before peace talks resume.
As peace negotiators try to navigate fragile diplomacy, the battlefield tells another story — one where every stalled conversation comes at a deadly cost.
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