With the much-anticipated meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska set for August 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from several European countries, the European Union and NATO held a video conference with Trump on Wednesday to align positions on the summit and the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire issue.

Trump on Wednesday said that if his talks with Putin go well, a second meeting would follow soon and include Zelenskyy. According to a Reuters source, European leaders and Zelenskyy discussed possible venues for the three-way summit depending on the outcome of the Alaska negotiations.

Trump also warned that Putin would face "very serious consequences" if he refused a ceasefire proposal. Earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington could intensify sanctions against Russia if the talks falter, urging Europe to join in secondary sanctions.

At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Zelenskyy said leaders from Europe and the United States agreed on five principles for the talks with Russia.

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine must be directly involved in the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Everything that concerns Ukraine should be discussed exclusively with Ukraine, he said, calling for preparations for a trilateral dialogue involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.

"There must be a ceasefire – number one. There must be security guarantees – truly reliable ones. And today, by the way, President Trump voiced his support for this and the United States' readiness to take part. Among the agreed principles is also that Russia cannot have veto power over Ukraine's European and NATO prospects," Zelenskyy told reporters.

He also urged the imposition of stronger sanctions on Russia if it refuses to agree to a ceasefire.

Following the video conference, European leaders underscored the importance of security for both Europe and Ukraine, as well as the urgency of a ceasefire.

Merz said Europe wants the Trump-Putin meeting to succeed but stressed that European security and Ukraine's interests must be safeguarded.

French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed that all issues regarding Ukraine's territory must be discussed with Zelenskyy, adding that the U.S. president had committed to facilitating a trilateral meeting.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on social media saying that "Europe, the U.S., and NATO have strengthened their common ground for Ukraine" and would continue working closely for a just and lasting peace.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte wrote that participants were united in their commitment to ending the conflict, saying, "The ball is now in Putin's court."

Zelenskyy on Wednesday reiterated that Ukraine's position on the Donbas remains unchanged and that any decision affecting the country's territorial integrity must respect the will of the Ukrainian people and the country's constitution.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Wednesday stressed that any discussion on the status of Donetsk would require direct talks among the U.S., Russia and Ukraine.

Russia emphasized that the territorial structure of the Russian Federation is enshrined in its constitution.

"The territorial structure of the Russian Federation is enshrined in the Constitution of our country. That says it all," Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexey Fadeev said at a briefing on Wednesday, answering a question about a possible discussion of the "land swap" at a meeting between Putin and Trump.

He added the goals of the Russian delegation at the Alaska talks will be determined solely by Russia's national interests.

Asked why Zelenskyy was not joining the Alaska summit, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the bilateral meeting had been proposed by Putin, and Trump accepted to get a "better understanding" of how to end the war.

"Only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present, and so this is for the president to go and to get a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end," Leavitt told reporters.

(With input from agencies)