Berlin (dpa) – Ahead of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders are striving for a unified stance with the US administration. The European heads of state intend to engage in a video conference with Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday, an initiative led by Merz, which will also include Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Zelenskyy.
Prior to the discussion with Trump, European leaders plan to consult amongst themselves through a call involving the EU, NATO, and Zelenskyy. Following the video conference with the US President, they aim to deliberate on the outcomes collectively.
Concerns over being overlooked
There are concerns among Europeans that Trump and Putin might agree on territorial concessions from Ukraine to Russia during their meeting on Friday in Alaska, proposals that Kyiv has previously rejected. Trump has characterized the upcoming meeting as an effort to move towards ending the ongoing conflict that has persisted for approximately three and a half years, mentioning a potential land exchange between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine firmly opposes any territorial concessions.
According to the German government, the discussions should center on exploring additional measures to pressure Moscow, as well as preparing for potential peace negotiations and addressing issues related to territorial claims and security.
Involvement of EU and NATO in talks
The pre-conversation consultations will include not just Merz, but also the heads of state and government from France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, and Finland, along with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President António Costa, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Zelenskyy. (August 12/13)
Leave a Reply