THE US is “ready to support us,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today following a call with US President Donald Trump and European leaders.

Speaking ahead of a US-Russia summit tomorrow, Mr Zelensky said he told Mr Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “bluffing” about the impact of sanctions and wants to “occupy all of Ukraine.”

He accused Moscow of applying pressure “on all sectors of the Ukrainian front” to show Russia is “capable of occupying all of Ukraine.”

Mr Zelensky said Mr Trump will contact him after meeting Mr Putin, with both Ukraine and its European allies sidelined from the summit.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the priority is securing a ceasefire and that allies should increase pressure on Russia if it does not agree.

He called the leaders’ virtual meeting “constructive” and said European countries are doing everything they can to “help set the agenda” for the Trump–Putin meeting.

He added that Ukraine must be at the table for peace discussions, with a ceasefire as the first step.

Mr Trump said last week there would be “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” Russia and Ukraine, sparking concern across Europe.

Russia currently controls about 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory.

A “coalition of the willing” members, including France and Britain, were having their own virtual meeting as the Morning Star went to print.

French President Emmanuel Macron said there is “unity” among European leaders and allies within the coalition.

He echoed that leaders want any issues concerning Ukraine to be discussed with Ukraine at the table and that the US president is hoping to agree on a ceasefire during tomorrow’s meeting with Mr Putin in Alaska.

Mr Macron said leaders were “very clear” that any decisions on territory can only be negotiated with Mr Zelensky.

A British government spokesperson said the leaders thanked Mr Trump for his “efforts in bringing Putin to the table in pursuit of a ceasefire to end to the ongoing bloodshed.”

Europe and the US will continue to work for a “just and lasting peace in Ukraine” and will speak again after the Trump–Putin meeting, they added.

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte said “the ball is now in Putin’s court,” thanking Mr Trump for his “leadership and close coordination with” Europe.