European and Ukrainian leaders have completed a round of high-level virtual talks with US President Donald Trump, aiming to secure firm backing for Ukraine before Trump’s upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
The discussions, held on Wednesday afternoon, were coordinated by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin for urgent consultations.
Merz hosted Zelenskyy at the Chancellery for a working lunch before convening a series of video meetings with the leaders of France, Britain, Italy, Poland, and Finland, as well as the heads of the European Union and NATO.
Later in the day, the group was joined by Trump and US Vice President JD Vance in a secure video call.
Officials present described the exchange as focused and strategic, with European and Ukrainian leaders warning against any agreement that might pressure Kyiv into giving up territory as part of a ceasefire deal.
Trump’s earlier remarks suggesting both sides could make territorial concessions had raised alarm in European capitals.
During the talks, participants pressed for clear conditions: any move toward a ceasefire should be based on current front lines, must not reward aggression, and should come with binding Western security guarantees for Ukraine.
They also underlined the importance of keeping Ukraine fully involved in any negotiations with Moscow.
The joint effort is part of what some diplomats call a “coalition of the willing” — a core group of Ukraine’s military and political backers, including Germany, France, and the UK, working to align their positions ahead of the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin.
After the virtual meeting, Merz and Zelenskyy addressed reporters in Berlin but took no questions.
They presented a united front, signalling that Europe and Ukraine will maintain a coordinated stance as they seek to influence the direction of US-Russia diplomacy in the coming days.
Trump is scheduled to meet Putin on Friday in Alaska, a session expected to focus heavily on the war in Ukraine and the prospects for a negotiated ceasefire.
European leaders hope Wednesday’s talks will leave little doubt about Kyiv’s red lines when the two presidents sit down face-to-face.