European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the Polish-Belarusian border to demonstrate European solidarity, according to Tusk’s statement on X.

The Polish Prime Minister said that Belarusian border guards “listened attentively” to their press conference at the frontier. Tusk wrote that the European Commission head had the opportunity to see the situation at the EU’s eastern border firsthand.

Since 2021, self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has refused to control the flow of refugees through his country to EU states, triggering a migration crisis. Poland responded by constructing a 5-meter electronic barrier along the Belarus border, equipped with thousands of cameras and surveillance technology designed to prevent illegal border crossings.

“I am here today to express Europe’s full solidarity with Poland as a frontline state. For many years now, you and the Polish people have faced deliberate and cynical hybrid attacks. I want to emphasize that Europe supports you in every possible way,” von der Leyen said during the visit.

The Commission President announced that the EU’s budget proposal for the next seven years would triple investments in migration, border management and protection. EU member states that share borders with Russia and Belarus will receive additional EU funding under the plan.

“I want to emphasize: Europe’s borders are a shared responsibility. Here we are at the Polish border, but also at the European border, and this is a shared responsibility,” von der Leyen said.

The visit comes as Poland continues to manage migration pressure along its eastern border, where the electronic barrier system represents one of the EU’s most technologically advanced border protection measures.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy openly challenged a territorial map presented in the Oval Office during his 18 August meeting with US President Donald Trump and several European leaders, arguing that the displayed 20% figure of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory was misleading. Zelenskyy insisted that during the first 1000 days of full-scale war, Russian forces had actually taken only around 1% of Ukraine’s land. 

Zelenskyy to Trump and allies: Russia took 1% in 1000 days, not 20%

Zelenskyy said the US-prepared map overstated Russian gains and distorted global perceptions of Ukrainian military strength. According to him, the real figures painted a very different picture, Suspilne reported.

“People think 20% or 18%, but it was up to 1%,” he said, explaining that “this slightly changes the balance of how strong Russia’s army is and how strong Ukraine’s army is.” He emphasized that Ukraine’s priority remained “truth and reality.”

Speaking to reporters after the summit, Zelenskyy described the exchange over the map as “slight disagreement,” but noted that the conversation was “warm, good, and substantive.” He said both sides brought their own versions of battlefield maps to the Oval Office. 

Zelenskyy also argued that the occupation of territories like Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014 did not result from conventional military clashes.

“There were no military operations, for example, in Crimea—no large-scale ones,” he said. “So you cannot say that such a large part was occupied over that period because Russia had a strong army.”

According to Liga, Zelenskyy stressed that explaining when and how each part of Ukrainian territory was seized was essential for helping allies like the US understand battlefield shifts. He noted that such discussions were long but necessary for an accurate joint understanding.

Sensitive territorial issues off-limits to Western allies, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy made it clear that any negotiations regarding Ukrainian territory will take place solely between him and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

“We’ll leave the question of territories between me and Putin,” he said, according to Liga.

He added that Trump “heard and saw” the important information, presented by the Ukrainian side.

“That’s why the issue of territories is one that we will leave between me and Putin,” he repeated.

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As reported by BBC and others, the Oval Office meeting on 18 August included leaders from across Europe, among them UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The leaders discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, military aid, and future diplomatic steps.

Following the summit, Trump phoned Putin and said the US was preparing for a possible trilateral summit involving Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow. According to Zelenskyy, such a meeting would follow any bilateral contact between the US and Russia.

“We are ready for bilateral with Putin,” Zelenskyy said outside the White House fence.

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He confirmed that no date had been set for those talks but said that discussions were ongoing.

Macron said European forces may join peacekeeping operations in Ukraine and warned that peace talks could not be delayed for weeks or months. Merz compared Russia’s territorial demands to forcing the US to surrender Florida. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called again for Russia to return abducted Ukrainian children.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that territorial compromises from both sides may be necessary to end the war.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 18 August that the Kremlin has not publicly confirmed US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a planned bilateral meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by a trilateral summit with US participation. ISW noted that Trump stated he had called Putin after the 18 August summit and began arranging such meetings, but Russian officials gave no direct confirmation.

According to ISW, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said that Putin and Trump “expressed support for the continuation of direct negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine” and mentioned the possibility of “raising the level of representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian sides.” ISW emphasized that this language did not amount to a commitment to leader-level meetings.

ISW also noted that Zelenskyy stated after the summit that he is ready to meet with Putin “without any conditions” and that it was Russia who first proposed a bilateral meeting, followed by a trilateral format with the United States. He said territorial matters would remain a subject “between [himself] and Putin.”

ISW: Security guarantees discussed, US role remains unclear

During the 18 August summit, Trump and Zelenskyy met at the White House before joining talks with European leaders, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian President Giorgia Meloni, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. According to ISW, the leaders emphasized the importance of security guarantees to ensure a lasting peace and deter future Russian aggression.

ISW noted that von der Leyen, Meloni, and Starmer expressed support for guarantees modeled after NATO’s Article 5. Trump stated that the United States would support these guarantees in a coordination role, while “various European countries” would provide the main commitments. This was echoed in Trump’s readout posted on Truth Social.

Zelenskyy said in a joint press conference with Trump that Ukraine needs not only guarantees from partners but also continued access to weapons, training, and intelligence. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine and its European allies have launched a program to purchase weapons from the United States, and that a strong Ukrainian military is itself a security guarantee.

Financial Times: Ukraine proposed US arms and drone deals tied to guarantees

The Financial Times (FT) reported on 18 August that Ukraine offered to purchase $100 billion worth of US weapons, financed by European partners, in exchange for American security guarantees. FT stated that the document it obtained did not specify which weapons were involved.

FT also reported that Ukraine proposed a $50 billion plan to manufacture drones through Ukrainian companies, but the share of procurement versus investment was not defined. FT cited four people familiar with the matter and noted these proposals were included in Ukraine’s talking points shared with European leaders ahead of the summit.

Russia rejects NATO troop involvement in peace process

According to ISW, Trump stated during the 18 August summit that Putin had earlier expressed openness to security guarantees for Ukraine during the 15 August Alaska summit. However, ISW noted that Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on 18 August that Russia “categorical[ly] reject[s]” any plan involving a military contingent in Ukraine with participation from NATO countries. Her statement applied both to formal NATO missions and independent deployments by NATO member states. ISW says this mirrors earlier Russian threats to treat such deployments as legitimate military targets.

Trump and other European officials clarified that any future deployment of peacekeeping forces would not be part of a NATO mission.

Leaders voice support for ceasefire, but prospects remain uncertain

Trump said all leaders attending the 18 August summit “would obviously prefer an immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace,” but added, “as of this moment, it’s not happening.” Trump stated he supports a ceasefire because it could halt casualties “immediately.”

ISW noted that Macron and Merz expressed support for a ceasefire either ahead of or after a potential trilateral meeting. Trump added that both Zelenskyy and Putin “can talk a little bit more” about the matter.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged on July 4 that the European Union will help Moldova defend itself against hybrid threats by "agents of autocracy."

"We are committed to protecting you against the hybrid attacks and the energy shocks that your country has been a victim of," von der Leyen said following the EU-Moldova summit in Chisinau.

"Who is behind those attacks is clear to all of us here. These are the same agents of autocracy trying to undermine our democracies everywhere in Europe."

Von der Leyen praised Moldova's support for Ukraine and the EU, noting its acceptance of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees and its assistance with European wildfire response efforts.

The visit was made in show of solidarity with Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, as it prepares for high-stakes parliamentary elections on Sept. 28.

The pro-European government of President Maia Sandu faces a challenge from the pro-Russian Socialist Party, amid growing fears of destabilization ahead of the vote.

Sandu has accused Russia of using its military presence in Moldova's Russian-occupied Transnistria region to stir unrest and derail the country's EU aspirations. On June 12, she warned that Moscow could provoke a crisis in Transnistria to influence the election outcome.

Transnistria has been under Russian-backed separatist control since the early 1990s, with approximately 1,000 to 1,500 Russian troops still stationed in the region.

On June 11, Transnistrian authorities declared a 30-day state of emergency after a sharp drop in natural gas supplies. The unrecognized region has faced mounting energy shortages since January, when Russian energy giant Gazprom halted deliveries in what many see as an attempt to destabilize the situation in Moldova.

Moldova was granted EU candidate status in 2022. Sandu's ruling Party of Action and Solidarity aims to maintain its parliamentary majority and move the country closer to full membership by 2030.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean earlier told the Financial Times that Russia plans to send 10,000 troops to Transnistria and establish a pro-Kremlin government in Moldova.

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the EU's ongoing support for Ukraine at a NATO summit in The Hague on June 24.

"We have designed a funding program of 50 billion euros, we call it Safe, where member states, but also Ukraine and other partners, can take these loans to invest in the (Ukrainian) defense industry," she said, addressing President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"We are integrating our defense industries as if Ukraine was in the EU. This is good for Ukraine. And just as good for Europe, as Ukraine is now home to extraordinary innovation," von der Leyen later said in a post to social media.

NATO is holding a summit in The Hague from June 24-25 with world leaders, including Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump present.

"(M)y dear friend Volodymyr, you're here among friends and we stand by Ukraine from the very first day on and you can count on us also for the future," von der Leyen said.

The leader described the EU's 18th sanctions package as a "biting one" to apply pressure on Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Secondly, of course, there's constant financial support to Ukraine because we know you're fighting a war that is also protecting our values and our principles, and thirdly, indeed, we have to put pressure on President Putin (so) that he comes to the negotiation table," von der Leyen said.

She noted that members of the Group of Seven (G7) will also be implementing additional sanctions against Russia.

"All this shows you are among friends, you can count on us, we stand by your side," von der Leyen said.

The White House has confirmed that Trump and Zelensky will hold a meeting at the NATO summit.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to attend a NATO summit in The Hague next week, the European Council confirmed on June 20.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte are set to meet Zelensky on June 24.

Zelensky was reportedly reconsidering attending the NATO summit, as questions remain over U.S. President Donald Trump's participation, the Guardian reported on June 17, citing unnamed Ukrainian officials.

A schedule released by the European Council on June 20 confirms Zelensky's planned participation at the event.

A Ukrainian official told the Guardian that Kyiv is in a "permanent hazard" of becoming a victim of "Trump's short attention span," adding that Russia has exploited this uncertainty with fresh aerial attacks.

There were "all sorts of promises for this summit," including U.S. arms, the source said.

Zelensky was scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven (G7) Summit, held June 15-17.

Trump left the multilateral event early due to the renewed conflict between Israel and Iran.

Zelensky met with various leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Zelensky left the summit early, citing Russia's mass drone and missile attack on Kyiv.

On June 17, a Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv killed 30 people and injured another 172. The nearly nine-hour-long strike saw Moscow's forces launch large numbers of drones and missiles at Ukraine's capital.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attack, describing it as a "massive and brutal strike" timed deliberately to coincide with the G7 summit.

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The Group of Seven (G7) nations need to impose harsher sanctions on Moscow in order to secure a ceasefire in the war against Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said at the start of the G7 summit in Canada.

The G7 Leaders Summit kicked off on June 15 in Kananaskis, Canada, with official talks held June 16-17. While Ukraine hopes to win economic support and unified pressure against Russia, the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran may dominate this year's conference.

"To achieve peaceful strength we must put more pressure on Russia to secure a real ceasefire, to bring Russia to the negotiating table, and to end this war. Sanctions are critical to that end," von der Leyen said at a press briefing on June 15 attended by a Kyiv Independent journalist.  

Economic sanctions have been an effective intervention since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, von der Leyen said. She noted that combined G7 and European Union sanctions have decreased Russian oil and gas revenues by nearly 80% since February 2022.

"(T)he sanctions are working, and we will do more," she said.

Von der Leyen urged the G7 to adapt the economic restrictions proposed in the EU's 18th sanctions package, announced on June 10. The new measures target Russia's energy and banking sectors and propose a further reduction in the oil price cap, bringing the cap down from $60 to $45 per barrel.

"I will invite all G7 partners to join us in this endeavor," she said.

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Costa echoed the call for sanctions and the necessity of economic pressure in order to achieve a ceasefire. Europe is committed to "increasing additional sanctions to cripple (Russia's) ability to wage war and pressing for an unconditional ceasefire," he said.

Europe's call for unity may meet with resistance from the United States, which has assumed a dramatically different posture towards Ukraine and Russia since President Donald Trump took office in January. Trump has not imposed any new sanctions against Russia, even Moscow blatantly obstructs peace efforts and escalates mass strikes against Ukrainian cities.

The U.S. also reportedly opposes lowering the G7 oil price cap — a measure first introduced in December 2022 that prohibits Western companies from shipping, insuring, or otherwise servicing Russian oil sold above $60 per barrel.

The price cap debate has become more urgent as oil prices, which had fallen below the $60 cap in recent months, surged following Israel's recent strikes against Iran.

Despite U.S. resistance, the EU and the United Kingdom — backed by other European G7 countries and Canada — have said they are prepared to move forward with the proposal, even without Washington's endorsement.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the other hand, has said the EU sanctions and proposed price cap drop don't go far enough. Zelensky on June 11 said the EU's 18th round of sanctions "could be stronger" and proposed further slashing the oil price cap to $30 per barrel.

"A ceiling of $45 per barrel of oil is better than $60, that's clear, that's true. But real peace will come with a ceiling of $30," he said. "That's the level that will really change the mindset in Moscow."

Zelensky and Trump are expected to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit on June 17. The meeting will mark their third in-person encounter since Trump took office.

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