Ukraine, Europe, Trump ‘very much' aligned: Merz
Berlin
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said the positions of Ukraine, its European allies and US President Donald Trump are 'very much in agreement' ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska later this week.
'In Alaska, fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must be safeguarded. That was the message that we Europeans gave President Trump today,' Merz said in Berlin following talks via video link.
'And I can say that we were very much in agreement on both the assessment of the starting position and the achievable goal for this Friday,' the German leader said alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had travelled to Berlin for the talks.
Merz, Zelensky and a number of European leaders held talks via video link with Trump and his Vice President JD Vance regarding the US president's upcoming meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday that is expected to address Russia's war in Ukraine.
The talks were arranged at short notice by Merz, with Zelensky joining him in person on Wednesday at the Chancellery in Berlin.
Ahead of the talks with Trump and Vance, Zelensky joined a preliminary video discussion just among European leaders which included leaders from France, Britain, Italy, Poland and Finland, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Berlin said the aim of the talks was to ensure Kiev and its European partners were fully involved in the preparations for Trump's meeting with Putin. European governments fear the Trump-Putin talks could lead to territorial concessions to Russia that Kiev has firmly rejected.
Zelensky said after the consultations that he hopes for an immediate ceasefire as well as robust security guarantees for his country from the upcoming summit. Zelensky stressed that in all negotiations concerning the future of his country, Ukraine must have a seat at the table.
Furthermore, he asserted that Russia should not be granted a veto regarding Ukraine's NATO membership.
Merz said that Ukraine needs security guarantees on the path to a possible peace with Russia. Such guarantees were briefly discussed during the consultations that included Zelensky, Merz said. 'We know that Ukraine needs security guarantees,' he added.
Merz told a press conference that the Europeans 'want President Donald Trump to be successful in Anchorage on Friday.' He also reiterated five main points for a peace deal with Russia.
For the Anchorage meeting to yield an outcome acceptable to all, it has to be made clear that Ukraine will be allowed to be at the table in potential follow-up talks, Merz said alongside Zelensky.
'We want negotiations to take place in the right order. There must be a ceasefire at the beginning,' said Merz.
Essential elements should then be agreed in a framework agreement, he added.
Regarding a third condition for a potential peace deal, Merz said: 'Ukraine is ready to negotiate on territorial issues. However, the so-called line of contact must be the starting point and legal recognition of Russian occupation is out of the question. The principle that borders may not be changed by force must continue to apply.'
Fourthly, Merz called for 'robust security guarantees for Kiev' and for Ukraine's ability to defend itself to be maintained, while lastly, any future negotiations must be part of 'a common trans-Atlantic strategy.'
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky in Europe. Following the video call with the US president and European leaders, Macron said at his summer residence in Bormes-les-Mimosas in the south of France on Wednesday that Trump wanted to push for such a gathering.
'We wish for it to be held in Europe, in a neutral country that is accepted by all sides,' Macron posted on X.
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