Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Wednesday before joining a German-hosted virtual conference with U.S. President Donald Trump, NATO and European leaders, two days ahead of Trump’s first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2021.
The Berlin meeting marked the first leg of a diplomatic push by Kyiv and its European allies to stress the risks of a deal that could compromise Ukraine’s interests. The video conference at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT), will bring together the leaders of Germany, Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Poland and the European Union, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance are expected to join the call at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).
The session comes ahead of the Alaska summit, which Trump has described as a “feel-out” meeting in pursuit of a ceasefire in Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Trump said last week that any agreement could involve “some swapping of territories”, remarks that alarmed officials in Kyiv and across Europe. European leaders have stressed that no deal on Ukraine should be reached without Ukraine’s participation, noting that nearly a fifth of its territory remains under Russian occupation.
A senior official from Eastern Europe said allies were working to prevent any arrangement being made without their input.
“We are focusing now to ensure that it does not happen, engaging with U.S. partners and staying coordinated and united on the European side. Still a lot of time until Friday,” the official said.
Trump’s administration has sought to lower expectations for a breakthrough in Alaska, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the talks a “listening exercise” to gauge what each side wants.
After the virtual meeting with Trump, the “coalition of the willing”, a group of countries preparing plans to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, will also convene online.
On the battlefield, Russian forces have tightened their hold on the eastern Ukrainian cities of Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka, increasing pressure ahead of Friday’s summit.
A Gallup poll published last week found that 69% of Ukrainians support ending the conflict through negotiations as soon as possible, though polls indicate they are unwilling to accept “crushing concessions”.
Zelenskyy has said Kyiv could not agree to withdraw its troops from the Donbas region, stressing that territorial issues can only be addressed once a ceasefire and security guarantees are in place.
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SOCAR has completed the acquisition of a 99.82% stake in Italiana Petroli (IP) from API Holding after receiving all required regulatory approvals.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
The U.S military said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran on Thursday (7 May). Meanwhile, Iran's Joint Military Command accused the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire, by striking an Iranian oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on several Iranian cities.
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides signalled they did not want escalation. The clashes come as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a proposed deal to end the war while leaving key disputes, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.
Singapore has isolated and is testing two of its residents who travelled aboard a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Thursday.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Ukraine’s military said it struck a Russian Karakurt-class small missile carrier in the Caspian Sea near Russia’s Dagestan region on Thursday. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, according to Kyiv.
Somalia is facing a severe malnutrition crisis and urgently needs additional humanitarian funding to prevent conditions deteriorating further, the World Food Programme has warned.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
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