European leaders appeared cautiously optimistic after holding a virtual meeting with Donald Trump on Wednesday, two days before he meets his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.Trump reportedly told the Europeans that his goal for the summit was to obtain a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.He also agreed that any territorial issues had to be decided with Volodymyr Zelensky’s involvement, and that security guarantees had to be part of the deal, according to France’s Emmanuel Macron.Speaking to Trump had allowed him to “clarify his intentions” and gave the Europeans a chance to “express our expectations,” Macron said.Trump and Vice-President JD Vance spoke to the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Poland as well as EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Nato chief Mark Rutte.The Europeans have been sidelined from the hastily organised summit in Alaska and their phone call today was a last-ditch attempt to keep Ukraine’s interests and the continent’s security at the forefront of Trump’s mind.To an extent, it seemed to work. On Wednesday evening Trump rated the meeting “a ten” and said Russia would face “very severe” consequences unless it halted its war in Ukraine.He also said that if Friday’s meeting went well he would try and organise a “quick second one” involving both Putin and Zelensky.Still, in their statements European leaders restated the need for Kyiv to be involved in any final decision – betraying an underlying nervousness that Putin could ultimately persuade Trump to concede Ukrainian land in exchange for a ceasefire.”It’s most important thing that Europe convinces Donald Trump that one can’t trust Russia,” said Poland’s Donald Tusk, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed the leaders had “made it clear that Ukraine must be at the table as soon as …
