Trump spoke with EU leaders about ceasefire, Ukraine's role in talks and security guarantees – European Council president

European Council President António Costa has outlined the three key messages that US President Donald Trump delivered during extensive online talks with European leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US officials on 13 August.

Source: Costa at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Brégançon, France, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Costa and Macron had met at one of the French president's residences, Fort de Brégançon, to join the online talks with US and European leaders.

"President Trump shared three critical goals with us. The first is a ceasefire," Costa said.

The second point Costa highlighted is that the US believes that "no one but Ukraine can negotiate on Ukrainian affairs".

"The third point is the United States’ willingness to work with Europe to strengthen security once a just and lasting peace for Ukraine has been achieved," the European Council president said.

Costa said he hopes the summit between Trump and Kremlin leader Putin in Alaska on 15 August will make it possible to "achieve a ceasefire and pave the way for peace in Ukraine".

Background: 

• Following the extensive talks involving European leaders, Zelenskyy and the US leadership, Macron stated that territorial issues "will not be negotiated" by anyone except Zelenskyy.
• Commenting on the talks, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined the positions conveyed in the conversation with Trump, particularly that "Ukraine is ready to discuss territorial issues, but the starting point will be the line of contact".
• "Legal recognition of the occupied territories [as Russian] is not up for discussion," he said.
• Zelenskyy said the issue of the meeting between the US and Russian leaders in Alaska on 15 August had been covered in various talks. He added that Trump had suggested they would be in contact after the Alaska meeting.

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