European Leader Warns Ukraine May Face Unfair Pressure in Trump-Putin Peace Talks

The European Union’s top diplomat has expressed deep concern that upcoming negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s special representative could unfairly pressure Ukraine into making territorial concessions. Kaja Kallas, serving as the EU’s foreign policy chief, voiced these fears as Steve Witkoff prepares to meet with Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.
Witkoff, a real estate developer appointed as Trump’s special envoy, recently led American discussions with Ukrainian officials over the weekend. These talks mark a significant diplomatic push nearly four years after Russia began its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. The meetings took place at a private golf club in Florida developed by Witkoff’s own company.
Kallas emphasized that international pressure should target the aggressor rather than the victim. She stressed that Russia initiated the conflict and continues to deliberately strike civilian targets and infrastructure daily. The EU official warned against losing sight of who bears responsibility for the ongoing violence and destruction.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been conducting an intensive diplomatic campaign across Europe to shore up support from allied nations. During a joint appearance with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, he insisted that Russia must not benefit from its invasion. The Ukrainian leader held discussions with over a dozen world leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
European leaders remain anxious about any peace proposal that might legitimize forced border changes or fail to address war crimes. A previous American plan that surfaced last month heavily favored Russian interests, proposing to grant Moscow control over Ukrainian territories it had not yet captured while forcing Kyiv to limit its military and abandon NATO membership aspirations. Though that specific plan has been modified, concerns persist about the direction of negotiations.