Russia’s aggression must not be rewarded with territory, EU leaders have warned, declaring that “international borders must not be changed by force”.

The bloc emphasised “the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny” in a statement issued three days before US President Donald Trump is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Europe’s leaders are appealing to Mr Trump to defend their security interests at the summit in Alaska on Friday.

The Europeans and Ukraine are wary that Mr Putin, who has waged the biggest land war in Europe since 1945 and used Russia’s energy might to try to intimidate the EU, might secure favourable concessions and set the outlines of a peace deal without them.

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be invited to the meeting because it is “vital” that Ukraine has a say in its future.

“It’s clear Putin just wants to talk to Trump and go for an old-fashioned way of dividing territories,” she told the BBC after 26 of the 27 EU countries released a statement welcoming Mr Trump’s efforts “towards ending Russia’s war of aggression and achieving a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine”.

Mr Zelenskyy and European leaders are scheduled to meet Mr Trump on Wednesday.

A French diplomatic source believes the Alaska summit “can be a success, provided it leads to an unconditional ceasefire on the ground, accompanied by specific monitoring arrangements to be agreed upon by Ukraine, paving the way for negotiations in which Ukraine will be a party”.

The source added: “Europeans cannot support an agreement that would affect their vital security interests.”

EU foreign ministers met on Monday to agree a position of unity.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said peace “must be built with Ukraine, not imposed upon it”. He held a call with Canada’s Mark Carney on Monday night in which they agreed Ukraine’s future “must be one of freedom, sovereignty and self-determination”.

Mr Trump has been vague about his expectations for the Alaska summit, describing it as a “feel-out meeting” to gauge the Russian leader’s ideas for ending the war in Ukraine.

Mr Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding any territory seized by force. Mr Trump said he was a “little bothered” by Mr Zelenskyy’s stance and insisted land swaps would need to take place.

“There’ll be some swapping, there’ll be some changes in land,” he said. But Mr Trump said he would also tell Putin that “you’ve got to end this war”.

Russia holds shaky control over four of Ukraine’s regions, two in the country’s east and two in the south.

In Tuesday’s statement, the EU leaders said: “A just and lasting peace that brings stability and security must respect international law, including the principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and that international borders must not be changed by force.

“The people of Ukraine must have the freedom to decide their future. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities.”

The statement was meant to be a demonstration of European unity. But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is Putin’s closest ally in Europe and has tried to block EU support for Ukraine, did not sign up.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused the “EU’s pro-war politicians” of trying to “sabotage the success of the Trump–Putin meeting”.

Mr Szijjarto said on X: “An American–Russian agreement offers the best chance for peace.”

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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANITips for job-seekers

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David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East