Calls Virtual Talks Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited Trump, Zelenskyy, NATO, and EU leaders to a virtual meeting before the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Kyiv and European capitals fear territorial concessions could be discussed without their involvement. The talks will focus on pressuring Russia and preparing possible peace negotiations.
Germany’s Pre-Summit Diplomacy Quick Looks
- Chancellor Merz to host virtual talks Wednesday with U.S., Ukrainian, NATO, and EU leaders.
- Goal: coordinate strategy before Trump-Putin Alaska summit.
- Neither Zelenskyy nor European leaders invited to the Friday summit.
- Topics: pressure on Russia, territorial claims, security arrangements.
- Leaders from Britain, Finland, France, Italy, and Poland to join.
- Ukraine and EU oppose land swaps without Kyiv’s consent.
- NATO chief Mark Rutte warns Russian control of land must be discussed but not legally accepted.
- Russia annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia in 2022 and Crimea in 2014.
- UN estimates over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians killed since war began.
- Trump has removed NATO membership for Ukraine from near-term agenda.
Germany invites Trump, Zelenskyy, NATO, EU to Virtual Meeting Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit
Deep Look
In a move aimed at unifying Western positions ahead of a pivotal U.S.-Russia meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and several European leaders to virtual discussions on Wednesday.
The meetings will take place just two days before Trump sits down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska — a summit from which both Ukraine and key European leaders have been excluded. This has fueled fears in Kyiv and across Europe that critical decisions, particularly over territorial concessions, might be made without their input.
Agenda and Participants
According to the German Chancellery, the talks will center on “further options for action to put pressure on Russia” and “preparations for possible peace negotiations, including issues of territorial claims and security.” Confirmed participants include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of Britain, Finland, France, Italy, and Poland.
Ukraine and its allies have consistently rejected the idea of land swaps as part of a peace agreement, particularly if agreed upon without Kyiv’s consent. While Trump has suggested that some form of territory exchange could form part of a settlement, European officials see no indication that Russia is prepared to trade any of the Ukrainian land it currently occupies.
EU and NATO Positions
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reiterated on Monday that “all temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine” and warned that “aggression cannot be rewarded.” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk added that “state borders cannot be changed by force” and stressed that any peace terms “must be agreed upon with Ukraine’s participation.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged the “reality on the ground” that Russia controls parts of Ukraine but emphasized that Western nations can “never accept that in a legal sense.” He compared the situation to U.S. policy toward the Baltic states during Soviet occupation, in which control was tacitly acknowledged but never legally recognized.
The Situation on the Ground
Since its full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has illegally annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — regions it does not fully control — in addition to occupying Crimea since 2014. Fighting along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line remains intense, with Russian forces making incremental gains in their summer offensive. The UN estimates more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the conflict so far.
Zelenskyy maintains that a ceasefire should be the starting point for any negotiations and has the backing of most European capitals. Giving up territory without securing a halt to fighting would be politically unviable in Ukraine after such heavy losses.
Strategic Goals and Security Guarantees
Analysts note that Putin’s broader aim may not be solely about land, but about ensuring a “Russia-friendly” Ukraine unlikely to join NATO. This mirrors strategies used in Georgia, where pro-Russian breakaway regions have hindered NATO membership ambitions.
For Kyiv’s allies, the long-term solution includes maintaining a strong Ukrainian military to deter future aggression, ensuring there are no restrictions on Ukraine’s armed forces or weapons capabilities, and preserving Ukraine’s right to pursue EU membership or other alliances.
The Trump administration has already signaled that Ukraine’s NATO membership is off the table for the foreseeable future, a decision that could influence the tone and outcomes of the Alaska talks.
With Germany leading this pre-summit diplomatic push, European leaders hope to present a unified stance that protects Ukraine’s sovereignty and ensures it has a decisive voice in any negotiations — even if the ultimate bargaining table is set elsewhere.
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