Merz wants Zelenskyy at Alaska summit, plans call with Trump
Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Any discussions about territorial issues between Russia and the United States must take into account the position of Ukraine and European partners, Tagesschau reports.
In particular, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he plans to call US President Donald Trump today. The reason for this is the upcoming meeting between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
"We are preparing intensively for this meeting at the European level together with the American government. And we hope and assume that the government of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy, will be involved in this meeting," Merz said.
German Chancellor noted that under no circumstances can he agree to territorial issues between Russia and the USA being discussed or even decided without considering Europeans and Ukrainians.
"I assume that the American government sees it the same way, which is why there is such close coordination," Merz emphasized.
At the same time, the German Chancellor expressed hope that the outcome of the summit will also be a decision to cease fire in Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine.
Trump and Putin's negotiations on peace in Ukraine
Earlier, the reports indicated that US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet on August 15 in Alaska. Earlier, Trump did not rule out the possibility of territorial exchanges between the two countries.
According to the Wall Street Journal, during the negotiations, Putin may demand recognition of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories in exchange for withdrawing troops from other regions.
In response, the leaders of the European Union and Ukraine proposed an alternative peace plan that could form the basis for negotiations between Trump and Putin.
Media reports also mention the possible participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in these negotiations, with a potential trip to Alaska.
