Ukraine updates: Merz hosts Trump-Zelenskyy virtual talks – DW – 08/13/2025
European and Ukrainian leaders have talked with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon.
They wanted to warn him not to compromise Kyiv's interests while seeking a ceasefire deal in his meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin on Friday.
The meeting has raised concerns that Trump may pressure Ukraine into a bad deal.
He has suggested that both sides should give up some territory to end the war.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders have begun talks via video link with US President Donald Trump about his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
We'll bring you the latest updates as we get them.
As we wait for details on the talks, here's where things stand on the front line in Ukraine:
The Russian army on Wednesday said it had captured two villages near the coal-mining town of Dobropillia — around 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the key strategic city of Pokrovsk.
"The settlements of Suvorovo and Nikanorivka in the Donetsk People's Republic have been liberated," Russia's Defence Ministry said on social media, referring to Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
Moscow has made rapid gains in the area in recent days.
Russia currently controls 114,500 square kilometers (44,600 square miles), or 19%, of Ukraine, including all of Crimea, all of Luhansk, and more than 70% of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has arranged a series of virtual meetings in an attempt to have the voice of Europe and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy heard ahead of the summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Here is what is happening this afternoon:
US President Donald Trump took to his Truth social media platform to say he would speak to "European Leaders in a short while."
"They are great people who want to see a deal done," he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at Chancellor Friedrich Merz's office in Berlin to join him and other European leaders for a video call with US President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy was welcomed by Merz, who organized the video conferences on short notice in a bid to make sure Kyiv and its European partners remain in the loop amid Trump's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Russia dismissed virtual talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European leaders and US President Donald Trump as "insignificant."
"We consider the consultations sought by the Europeans to be politically and practically insignificant," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexey Fadeev said.
"The Europeans verbally support the diplomatic efforts of Washington and Moscow to resolve the crisis around Ukraine, but in fact the European Union is sabotaging them," he added.
On Tuesday, the EU warned against redrawing Ukrainian borders by force.
The warning followed comments by Trump, who said Ukraine would have to give up some Russian-held territory.
He made the remarks ahead of Friday's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Russian President Vladimir Putin's position on ending the war in Ukraine has remained unchanged since June 2024, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexey Fadeev said.
At the time, Putin said Russia would agree to a ceasefire and enter peace talks if Ukraine withdrew its forces from four regions claimed by Moscow.
"Ukrainian troops must be completely withdrawn from the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions," Putin said, referring to regions of Ukraine that Russia has illegally claimed to control.
He also said Kyiv would need to abandon any ambitions of joining NATO.
US President Donald Trump and Putin are expected to discuss a path toward ending Moscow's war in Ukraine during a face-to-face meeting on Friday.
Trump said he wants to determine whether Putin is serious about ending the four-year war, calling the summit a "feel-out meeting" to gauge the Russian leader's intentions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has not been invited to Friday's meeting, said there is "currently no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war."
Estonia is expelling a Russian diplomat over "ongoing interference" in the NATO and EU member nation's affairs, the Baltic country's Foreign Ministry said.
The first secretary of the Russian embassy in Tallinn has been declared persona non grata by Estonia and must leave the country.
"The diplomat in question has been directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia, as well as in dividing Estonian society, contributing to the crimes against the state, including several offences related to sanctions violations," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.
"The Russian embassy's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end," he added.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeev described the expulsion as a hostile act that would prompt a response
Viktor Orban, who is Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in Europe, said Ukraine has lost the war against Russia.
The Hungarian prime minister told the far-right conservative news site Mandiner.hu, "The Ukrainians have lost this war, Russia has won the war.
"We are talking like this was a situation of war with an open end," Orban added.
On Tuesday, Orban was the only EU leader who did not back a declaration calling for Ukrainian and European involvement in peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The statement demanded that Ukraine's territorial integrity be ensured, stating that "international borders must not be changed by force."
But Orban said the declaration "set conditions for negotiations to which EU leaders were not even invited."
The Hungarian leader has consistently opposed EU measures to punish Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and its allies must pressure Russia to ensure a just peace.
"We must learn from the experience of Ukraine and our partners to prevent deception on the part of Russia. There are currently no signs that the Russians are preparing to end the war," Zelenskyy said on social media.
The Ukrainian president was traveling to Berlin to join Chancellor Merz in video calls with European leaders and US President Donald Trump ahead of a US-Russia summit at a US military base outside Anchorage, Alaska.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will hold a media conference in Berlin this afternoon, according to the German Chancellery's schedule.
The conference, scheduled for 4 p.m. local time (1400 GMT), will follow virtual talks with US President Donald Trump ahead of his planned summit on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
With Donald Trump's summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska approaching, territorial concessions in exchange for peace are high on the agenda. Trump has talked about Russia and Ukraine "swapping land," but how feasible is that?
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend a trio of video calls in person with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is hosting the meetings with US President Donald Trump as well as European leaders.
"The president is working in Berlin today," Zelenskyy's spokesperson said, adding that a bilateral meeting with Merz is also planned.
US President Donald Trump will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a virtual meeting hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The meeting comes two days before Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
Merz has invited Zelenskyy, along with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, and other EU and NATO officials, to join the call ahead of the talks with Trump.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance will then participate in a second round of discussions.
Afterward, Ukraine's military European backers, including Germany, France and the UK, will also convene.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The talks come ahead of Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, their first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
EU leaders have reaffirmed Ukraine's right to self-determination and rejected any changes to borders by force.
Zelenskyy has ruled out withdrawing troops from the Donbas region.
Merz's office said Wednesday's discussions will focus on increasing pressure on Russia and preparing for potential peace negotiations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to deepen cooperation during a phone call on Tuesday.
North Korea's state news agency KCNA later reported the two leaders confirmed "their will to strengthen cooperation in the future."
The Kremlin confirmed the call, noting Putin shared details about his scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump about the war in Ukraine on Friday.
Putin expressed appreciation for "the self-sacrificing spirit displayed by service personnel of the Korean People's Army in liberating Kursk," KCNA said.
Kim, in turn, pledged that North Korea would "fully support all measures to be taken by the Russian leadership in the future, too."
North Korea has deployed an estimated 10,000 troops to support Russia's war effort in Ukraine.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
39 minutes ago
- DW
Ukraine: Trump says deal would come at trilateral summit – DW – 08/14/2025
US President Trump said he is hopeful Russia's Vladimir Putin is ready for a deal on Ukraine. The Kremlin has warned against expecting an major outcome of the Alaska summit. Follow DW for more. US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Thursday he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin would make a deal. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that while the Alaska summit might succeed in bringing a halt to the fighting in Ukraine, a long-term resolution to the war will need more time. The Kremlin has meanwhile warned of predicting the outcome of the summit. In London, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as European leaders prepare a unified stance on Ukraine ahead of the President Donald Trump said on Thursday that any deals on ending the conflict between Ukraine and Russia will need to come after his Alaska summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Speaking to Fox News Radio one day ahead of the anticipated summit, the US president said a second meeting would also be attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "The second meeting is going to be very, very important, because that's going to be a meeting where they make a deal," Trump said. "And I don't want to use the word 'divvy' things up. But you know, to a certain extent, it's not a bad term, okay?" US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that while the Alaska summit might succeed in bringing a halt to the fighting in Ukraine, a long-term resolution to the war will need more time. "To achieve a peace, I think we all recognize that there'll have to be some conversation about security guarantees. There'll have to be some conversation about ... territorial disputes and claims, and what they're fighting over," Rubio told reporters at the State Department. The US top diplomat added that Trump hoped "to achieve some stoppage of fighting so that those conversations can happen." US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Thursday he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin would make a deal. "This meeting sets up the second meeting, but there is a 25% chance that this meeting will not be a successful meeting," Trump told Fox News Radio. The US president said he suspected Moscow sought a meeting due to threats of additional US sanctions against it. Trump has given Russia more than one deadline to end the war, under the threat of increasing sanctions, before his meeting with Putin was scheduled. Despite promising to end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office, Trump's administration has attempted to play down the importance of the summit with Putin, saying on Tuesday it would be a "listening exercise for the president." The Kremlin warned on Thursday of predicting the outcome of US President Donald Trump's Friday summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was cited by Interfax as saying there were no plans to sign any documents following the summit. Peskov hailed Putin and Trump's "political will to resolve existing issues through dialogue," arguing that this sentiment was missing from the European side. When asked whether the summit would discuss a potential exchange of territories to settle the conflict, a suggestion floated by Trump and vehemently rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Peskov said "issues related to the Ukrainian settlement will be discussed." Putin is due to be accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and the president's special representative for foreign investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev. A United Arab Emirates-mediated exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine has secured the release of 168 POWs, the Gulf country's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had announced the exchange earlier, but said it led to the release of 84 prisoners of war (see below), apparently not including the released Russian POWs. The UAE ministry clarified 84 prisoners were exchanged from each side. This brings the total number of POWs exchanged as part of Emirati mediation to 4,349, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency. The ministry argued that the success of such mediation efforts was testament to "the strong and special nature of the UAE's relationship to Russia and Ukraine." Meta's WhatsApp messaging app has decried a Russian ban on its call service, while Moscow claimed the curbs were necessary to fight fraud and "terrorist" activities. On Wednesday, Moscow banned calls on WhatsApp and Telegram. Russia's Digital Ministry said calls would resume once "they start complying with Russian legislation." WhatsApp condemned the decision. "WhatsApp is private, end-to-end encrypted, and defies government attempts to violate people's right to secure communication, which is why Russia is trying to block it from over 100 million Russian people," a spokesperson for Meta-owned WhatsApp told the AFP news agency. Some 100 million of Russia's population of roughly 143.5 million are WhatsApp users. Telegram, which is owned by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, said it "actively combats misuse of its platform, including calls for sabotage or violence, as well as fraud" and removes "millions of pieces of harmful content every day." Moscow has often claimed that Kyiv used Telegram to recruit people or commit acts of sabotage in Russia. Russia has recently launched some homegrown messaging apps, with less stringent privacy rules, that it hopes will take over foreign-owned ones. The US and Russian heads of state will have a "working breakfast" as part of their Alaska summit on Friday, the Kremlin said on Thursday. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will first sit down for a one-on-one meeting, "naturally with the participation of interpreters," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. Then, their two delegations will meet. Afterwards, talks will continue over a "working breakfast," Ushakov said, before the pair do a joint press conference. The summit is due to start Friday at 11:30 a.m., local time (1930 GMT/UTC). Germany said it will purchase $500 million (€428 million) in US-manufactured weapons for Ukraine in an effort to support Kyiv's defense against Russian invaders. Berlin, like other Ukrainian allies, will use NATO's PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) mechanism to coordinate the purchase and delivery, according to statements from the Defense and Foreign ministries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the pledge in an X post Thursday, saying that Kyiv had secured $1.5 billion in financing from its European allies and calling PURL "a mechanism that truly strengthens our defense." According to NATO, PURL aid will include military equipment that cannot be produced by European manufacturers or can be delivered more quickly by the US than by European or Canadian allies. "I commend Germany for stepping up once again. This delivery will help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression," said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a statement posted on X Thursday. "Germany is the largest European contributor of military aid to Ukraine, and today's announcement further underlines its commitment to help the Ukrainian people defend their freedom and sovereignty." Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 84 prisoners of war, including both military personnel and civilians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday. Ukrainians released include civilians held by Russia since 2014, 2016 and 2017, Zelenskyy said on X. He added that military personnel who were involved in defending Mariupol are also among those released. "I am grateful to everyone who helps us continue to free Ukrainian captives," Zelenskyy said, adding that almost all those released require "medical care and significant rehabilitation." The Ukrainian president thanked the UAE for its assistance in coordinating the exchange. "The bravery and effectiveness of our units on the frontline make it possible, among other things, to bring our people back home," Zelenskyy said, promising "more exchanges." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his meeting in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as "productive," adding that the two leaders would continue to coordinate positions. Zelenskyy said that the talks in London continued the conversations that started on Wednesday during a virtual meeting hosted by Germany. "We also discussed in considerable detail the security guarantees that can make peace truly durable if the United States succeeds in pressing Russia to stop the killings and engage in genuine, substantive diplomacy," Zelenskyy wrote on X. The two leaders also discussed joint military cooperation, especially in light of Kyiv's fight against Russia's war, Zelenskyy said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has welcomed what he called "sincere efforts" by the US administration to end the Ukraine conflict. "I would like to tell you about the stage we are at with the current American administration, which, as everyone knows, is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the fighting, end the crisis, and reach agreements of interest to all parties involved in this conflict," Putin said. He made the remarks during a meeting at the Kremlin with senior military and civilian officials a day before his scheduled summit with President Donald Trump. Putin said the discussions with the United States were aimed at creating "the long–term conditions of peace between our countries, in Europe, and in the world as a whole, if we reach agreements in the field of strategic offensive arms control in the next stages." Large areas of eastern and southern Ukraine were forcibly seized by the Russian army. Why do they matter to Russia? And could some be returned to Ukraine? Read the full story on the prospects of Russia agreeing to return occupied land to Ukraine. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine during their anticipated Alaska summit, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Thursday. "It is probably obvious to everyone that the central topic will be the resolution of the Ukraine crisis," Ushakov told reporters on Thursday. These will be held "one-on-one" between Putin and Trump, with only their interpreters in attendance, Ushakov said. Trump and Putin will also discuss the "huge untapped potential" for bilateral economic ties, the Kremlin aid added. The talks are scheduled to start at 11:30 am local time (1939 GMT). Putin and Trump will give a joint press conference following their meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's meeting at Downing Street lasted a little over an hour. The pair shook hands and hugged as Zelenskyy departed. They did not speak to the media who were camping outside the prime minister's official residence. Their meeting came a day ahead of a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Russian forces have intercepted and destroyed 44 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday, adding that nine were intercepted over the Volgograd region in the south. A downed drone hit in Volgograd, causing a fire and a leak at an oil refinery, Governor Andrey Bocharov said. "Firefighters quickly began extinguishing the fire. According to preliminary data, there were no casualties," Bocharov said on the Telegram. Drone attacks on the border region of Belgorod meanwhile injured at least three, the region's governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram.
DW
an hour ago
- DW
Germany's refugee crisis: "We can do it" ten years on – DW – 08/14/2025
In 2015, at the height of the refugee crisis, Germany welcomed hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and persecution. What worked, what failed – and what's the true impact on German society today?
DW
3 hours ago
- DW
Afghanistan: Are the Taliban still isolated after 4 years? – DW – 08/14/2025
The fall of Kabul four years ago marked the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan. The country is still in a deep humanitarian crisis, but the militants have found ways to use this to their advantage. In August 2021, the government in Kabul collapsed and gave way to the Taliban in wake of the US pulling its forces out of Afghanistan. Four year later, the Taliban seem to have a firm grip on power. So firm, in fact, that some governments, including the one in Germany, are stealthily building ties to the de-facto government in Kabul. Russia became the first country to officially recognize the Taliban in early July. "In this way, Russia is taking over the US role in Afghanistan, which the US gave up voluntarily with the withdrawal of its troops four years ago," says Sardar Rahimi, international relations researcher from the Inalco University in Paris. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video China is also maintaining close economic and political ties to the Taliban regime. Beijing has not officially recognized the Taliban government, but President Xi Jinping notably accepted the Taliban ambassador's letters of credentials with full honors prescribed by diplomatic protocol in January 2024. China needs Afghanistan and its raw materials for its global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). According to Rahimi, the West must face the fact that the Taliban control every aspect of public life in Afghanistan. "This is also the foundation of ties between other countries and the Taliban regime," he told DW. Germany has organized two deportation flights to Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. A total of 109 Afghan nationals were sent to their home country — over half of them were convicted felons. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video For this to happen, the Taliban authorities needs to confirm the migrants' citizenship — usually by issuing a passport or a similar travel document. This has made it necessary for German officials to hold intensive talks with the regime. In July, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has confirmed there was communication with the Taliban on a technical level. Speaking with the RedaktionsNetzwerk media group, he said this was strictly a practical matter without political or legal implications. "The German government needs to communicate with many regimes and government whose opinions and acts we do not approve. Still, sometimes our interests demand that we stay in some sort of contact. Everything else would be a denial of reality," he said at the time. Human rights groups such as Pro Asyl decry the deportation flights as "a blatant violation of international law." The European Convention on Human Rights, an international treaty, prohibits deportations to countries where there is a danger of inhumane treatment. The number of deportees from Europe, however, fades in comparison to the mass deportations from Afghanistan's neighbors Iran and Pakistan. The UN's refugee agency UNHCR has registered over 2.1 million deportations from those two countries just in the first seven months of 2025. Half of the repatriations were conducted forcefully, according to the agency. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The massive influx of returnees poses an immense challenge for the Taliban regime, as the ex-migrants return to the country without accommodation, work, or income. However, this humanitarian disaster is playing into the Taiban hands. The extremist group is using the crisis to ensure maximum control and they feel the West is humiliated by seeking to communicate with Kabul. The Taliban do not provide extensive information on what happens to the returnees once they are in the country. Independent watchdog groups report sustained and systematic violations of human rights in Afghanistan. Women's rights especially are being used as a bargaining chip, says Shukria Barakzai, a former Afghani diplomat. "The Taliban use women for their own goals," she told DW. "They increase pressure on women with new limitations in order to legitimize their rule." Women have been fully removed from public life in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover. Some 1.4 million girls aged 12 and above are no longer allowed to attend school, and young women have been banned from high schools and universities. Human rights organizations are seeing gender-based violence towards women and girls all over the country. At the same time, government critics and journalists fear persecution from the Islamist regime. According to Reporters without Borders (RSF) at least 12 journalists were shot in 2024, and the Taliban are known to raid media outlets, detain or persecute media employees and censor their reports. The country is ranked as 175 out 180 nations on press freedom. With poverty rampant in Afghanistan, nearly 23 million people are dependent on foreign aid, according to EU Commission data. This is roughly half of the country's population. The UN's World Food Programme estimates that every fourth Afghan faces food insecurity, and every third child is malnourished. The humanitarian crisis escalated last month when the US dissolved USAID, causing three million people to lose access to medical care and 420 clinics to close. Germany has paid €551 million ($644 million) in development aid for Afghanistan since 2021. The Taliban have no influence on projects funded by German tax payers, according to Germany's Economic Development and Cooperation Ministry, with the funds directed to the World Bank, the UN agencies and NGOs. However, the new German government has halted the relocation program for Afghans who worked for Germany in Afghanistan before 2021. Up to 2,400 of these people currently have permission to relocate to Germany, but are not able to obtain a visa that would allow them to actually make the trip. They are stuck in legal limbo and forced to remain in Iran or Pakistan, facing acute danger of being deported. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In early July, a Berlin court ruled that an Afghan woman and her family need to be given German visas after waiting in Pakistan for over year. The Afghans face "danger to life and limb" in Pakistan, according to the German judge. However, the German government has refused to comply and instead asked a higher court to review the decision.
