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.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi ...
The 25th World Petroleum Council (WPC) Energy Congress began in Riyadh on Sunday (11 October), running from 11 to 15 October under the theme &ldquo...
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to...
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment