EU leaders back Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin summit, Hungary abstains

On the eve of the scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the leaders of 26 European Union member states adopted a joint statement expressing their support for Ukraine. However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán notably withheld his consent and did not sign the document.

The full text of the statement, approved late on the evening of August 11 and obtained by Evropeyskaya Pravda, confirms Hungary’s refusal to endorse the EU’s unified position ahead of the Trump-Putin summit.

According to a senior EU official who spoke to a European Truth correspondent, “The statement by EU leaders on Ukraine was agreed on the evening of Monday, August 11, by the heads of state and government of EU member states, with the exception of Hungary, which did not join the document.”

The statement itself expresses clear backing for President Trump’s efforts “to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and achieve a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine.” It underscores key principles, including that “international borders should not be changed by force,” that “the people of Ukraine should have the freedom to decide their own future,” and that “the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be determined without Ukraine.”

The document further highlights that “meaningful negotiations can only take place in conditions of a ceasefire or a reduction in hostilities.”

EU leaders reaffirm their commitment to supporting Ukraine in a wide range of areas, stating that “the European Union, in coordination with the US and other like-minded partners, will continue to provide political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic support to Ukraine” as well as “continue to support and impose restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.”

Additionally, the EU and its member states express readiness to contribute further to Ukraine’s security guarantees.

The statement emphasises Ukraine’s “inalienable right to choose its own destiny” and reaffirms the EU’s ongoing support for Ukraine’s path toward membership in the Union.

The declaration closes with a clear note: “Hungary did not join this statement.”

By Tamilla Hasanova