European partners will hold closed-door consultations until August 15, Germany says
Photo: European partners will hold closed-door consultations until August 15 (Getty Images)
US allies will hold closed-door consultations ahead of US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. states First Deputy Spokesperson of the Federal Government, Steffen Meyer, during a briefing, according to Ukrinform.
According to him, talks among European allies "will certainly continue throughout the week," until Friday. At the same time, Meyer added that "it is not the right moment to discuss specific formats."
The deputy spokesperson assured that the chancellor (Friedrich Merz – ed.), despite being on vacation, remains in constant contact with colleagues from other countries, which is crucial for maintaining a consolidated position.
"If you want to exert influence as Europe, you need to have a coordinated and united position," he noted.
At the same time, the German government did not comment on the details of yesterday’s phone conversation between Merz and Trump.
"Confidentiality was agreed upon in the conversation for the entire topic of Ukraine and current events. This could be a very important moment for the further course of this war. That is why it is even more important that the people who are acting, especially heads of state and government, actually communicate on this basis in confidence — every public statement threatens this process,” Meyer said.
He added that talks among European partners will also be held in a confidential format, since this is a process "where every sentence, every word said publicly can turn things in a negative direction or put everything at risk."
The deputy spokesperson also emphasized that the European, and in particular the German, position remains that "borders cannot be changed by force, and all further decisions that may arise are primarily in the hands of Ukraine, as it must be able to decide its own fate."
US will consult with Europe ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting
Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that the US had promised to consult with European partners before the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prior to this, Trump announced the date and location of the talks with the Russian leader — August 15 in Alaska. According to NBC, the White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
