European leaders back Trump’s Ukraine ceasefire plan to push peace talks

European leaders have thrown their support behind Donald Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, marking a rare moment of alignment between the United States and Europe on the path to peace in the nearly four-year-old war.

The joint statement, released on Tuesday, called for fighting to stop along current battle lines and for peace talks to begin as soon as possible.

European leaders align with Trump on ceasefire proposal

The joint declaration was endorsed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, among others.

It followed Trump’s announcement that he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks to discuss an end to the conflict.

Trump, who has repeatedly called for both sides to declare a ceasefire and begin negotiations, said the current line of contact should serve as the basis for talks.

His comments came shortly after he cast doubt on Ukraine’s ability to achieve a military victory, signalling a push towards political settlement rather than continued combat.

Notably, Trump’s proposal also included the idea of splitting Ukraine’s Donbas region “the way it is,” leaving much of it under Russian control as a basis for ending the war.

The European leaders’ statement reflected this position, saying,

It also reiterated that international borders “must not be changed by force,” highlighting the need to uphold territorial integrity even as talks progress.

Zelenskiy and European allies embrace diplomatic reset

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was included in the joint statement and has reportedly accepted the idea of freezing the fighting along existing frontlines.

His inclusion signals Kyiv’s readiness to engage in renewed peace efforts coordinated with Western partners.

French President Macron confirmed that Zelenskiy will attend a meeting of Ukraine’s allies in London on Friday, part of a broader diplomatic initiative known as the “Coalition of the Willing.”

The coalition includes several European nations working to accelerate both peace negotiations and post-war reconstruction planning.

European leaders are now trying to revive momentum for peace as the war stretches into its fourth year.

The renewed push coincides with upcoming high-level meetings in Brussels and London, where EU leaders will discuss additional sanctions on the Kremlin and new financial aid packages for Ukraine.

Pressure mounts on Russia through economic measures

While backing Trump’s call for a ceasefire, European officials stressed that the diplomatic track must be paired with sustained economic pressure on Moscow.

The statement said,

Von der Leyen separately confirmed that leaders would discuss measures to use the full value of Russia’s immobilised sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s financial needs.

The funds, estimated in the hundreds of billions, could provide Kyiv with critical resources during and after any ceasefire period.

The Brussels summit will also examine proposals for tightening sanctions on Russia’s defence sector and expanding restrictions on technology exports.

These measures aim to weaken Moscow’s ability to sustain the war while reinforcing the credibility of the European Union’s support for Kyiv.