Ahead of a scheduled Friday meeting in Alaska, US President Donald Trump privately cautioned Russian leader Vladimir Putin that continued aggression in Ukraine would trigger consequences of unprecedented severity.

Speaking at the Kennedy Center, Trump said consequences could include tariffs, sanctions, and other measures.

European leaders, including Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron, stressed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must be involved in any talks.

Zelenskyy rejected territorial concessions, calling them unconstitutional, and accused Putin of using battlefield gains to pressure Ukraine.

After a joint video conference, Macron confirmed Trump’s focus on a ceasefire and reiterated that Ukraine’s territorial issues will only be negotiated by Zelenskyy.