Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, warned on August 11, that European governments will not recognise any territorial concessions by Ukraine to Russia and insisted that Kyiv must be part of any negotiations over its borders.
“Tusk said there can be no discussions about Ukraine that exclude Ukraine itself,” he told reporters, repeating the rallying line “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and warning that Europe must not allow Russia to emerge from the war stronger or to change borders by force.
His remarks come as Washington and Moscow prepare for talks that Western capitals fear could sideline Kyiv, and as European leaders race to coordinate a common position ahead of the U.S.–Russia summit. Senior EU figures and national leaders have been holding emergency consultations and arranging calls with Kyiv to ensure any deal respects Ukrainian sovereignty.
European capitals have repeatedly underlined that any ceasefire or peace formula must not reward Russia’s territorial gains, and Poland’s statement framed that stance as a continental red line, a signal intended to bind EU and NATO partners against recognising de facto Russian control over occupied regions.
Kyiv has likewise rejected proposals that would cede land without Ukrainian consent, saying that constitutional and democratic processes must govern any territorial changes and that a ceasefire must precede meaningful negotiations. Western diplomats quoted in recent briefings say they will press for a unified response that keeps Kyiv at the negotiating table.
Poland, which has pushed for robust Western support for Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion, is using Tusk’s intervention to rally EU partners and to try to shape U.S. diplomacy ahead of the high-stakes summit; European leaders are expected to formalise a joint line in the coming days as they seek to prevent a deal that would legitimise Russia’s battlefield gains.
