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The European Union clearly stated its stance on President Donald Trump’s proposal for “land swapping” during a ministerial meeting on Monday. In a discussion with Fox News Digital, the EU declared that no “concessions” should occur until Russia agrees to halt its war efforts.
“Without Russia’s agreement to a full and unconditional ceasefire, we shouldn’t even think about making any concessions,” stated EU policy chief Kaja Kallas in a written communication to Fox News Digital. “Such an approach has never succeeded with Russia before and won’t succeed with Putin now.”
She emphasized the importance of the order of events, saying, “The sequence of actions is crucial: first, an unconditional ceasefire coupled with a robust monitoring mechanism and unwavering security guarantees.”
Kallas initiated a virtual gathering for EU foreign ministers in conjunction with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who updated the officials on “current diplomatic efforts and the situation on the battlefield” on Monday. This came after announcing the forthcoming meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for Friday in Alaska.
During discussions on Monday, officials covered topics such as implementing further sanctions against Russia, providing additional military assistance to Ukraine, and increasing financial aid to Kyiv. These deliberations were simultaneous with Trump’s remarks, which took a critical stance on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
European leaders have yet to respond directly to Trump’s reproving tone ahead of his meeting with Putin on Friday, though Kallas’ comments made clear neither the EU nor Ukraine support Trump’s most recent proposal that Ukraine and Russia “swap” borders.
“We fully support an end to this war in a way that doesn’t leave a backdoor open for Russia to re-enter and restart its aggression,” she said. “Ukraine’s right to exist as a sovereign nation is under attack, as well as the security of our European continent.”
“You are looking at territory that has been fought over for 3.5 years,” Trump told reporters from the White House in reference to land Russia has illegally invaded and occupied in eastern Ukraine. “We’re looking at that. But we’re looking at swapping. We’re going to get some back.”
Zelenskyy responded by confirming that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.”
“Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine — they are simultaneously decisions against peace,” he added. “These are dead decisions; they will never work. And what we all need is a real, living peace, one that people will respect.”
In her comments to Fox News Digital, Kallas looked to remind Trump that Putin’s interests lay outside a mere land grab in Ukraine — it is an existential threat to the European continent.
French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni meet during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 17, 2025. (LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)
“Russia’s war aims are more than just seizing territory in Ukraine,” she said. “Russia started this war to destroy Ukraine and Europe’s security.
“A deal must not provide a springboard for further Russian aggression against Ukraine, the transatlantic alliance and Europe,” she added.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz invited Trump, Zelenskyy, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for another virtual meeting on Wednesday with other European leaders ahead of Trump’s top talks, reports confirmed on Monday.
Trump on Monday reiterated his goal that first he will meet with Putin, and then Zelenskyy will meet with Putin, with or without the U.S. president, to secure a ceasefire.
