European leaders warn peace talks must include Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin summit

European leaders have warned that the "path to peace" cannot be decided without Ukraine, as Donald Trump prepares to meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week.

The White House is "considering" inviting the Ukrainian president to the Alaska meeting, according to US reports - although it's by no means a given that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be there. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy hosted a meeting of top Ukrainian officials and European national security advisers at his official residence in Chevening in Kent on Saturday, where US vice president JD Vance is staying on holiday.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the EU Commission warned the "only approach" to ending the war "combines active diplomacy, support to Ukraine, and pressure on the Russian Federation". It comes amid reported concerns from Ukraine and its NATO allies that Mr Trump might agree to Mr Putin's proposals for ending the war without taking their positions into account.

Meanwhile on the ground overnight, five people were killed in Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk, and another in a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil refinery in the southern Russian region of Saratov. A senior US official and three people briefed on internal discussions at the White House told Sky News' US partner network NBC News the Trump administration is "discussing" inviting the Ukrainian president to the Alaska summit.

The sources said a visit by Mr Zelenskyy has not been finalised - and it is unclear whether the Ukrainian leader will be in Alaska. However, the senior administration official said it is "absolutely" possible.

"Everyone is very hopeful that would happen," the official said. Asked whether the US had officially invited Mr Zelenskyy, a senior White House official said: "The president remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders.

Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin." On Friday - before Washington and Moscow confirmed its leaders will meet on Friday - Mr Trump had told reporters at the White House: "We're getting very close to a deal [to end the conflict]". The US president added there would be "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both sides".

Zelenskyy says he's unwilling to give up territory On Saturday, the Ukrainian president warned that allowing Russia to keep territory it has occupied in Ukraine will result in another invasion. He said allowing Mr Putin to annex Crimea in 2014 didn't prevent Russian forces from occupying more parts of Ukraine during the current conflict.

"Now, Putin wants to be forgiven for seizing the south of our Kherson region, Zaporizhzhia, the entire territory of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and Crimea. We will not allow this second attempt to partition Ukraine," Mr Zelenskyy said.

"Knowing Russia - where there is a second, there will be a third." He thanked the European leaders for their statement, saying Ukraine "values and fully supports" what was said. Agreements must include European security guarantees The joint statement from European leaders stressed that Kyiv must be involved in any negotiations.

"Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities," it reads.

It warned that "international borders must not be changed by force" and that the "current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations". The leaders also insisted any decisions "must protect Ukraine's and Europe's vital security interests.