Merkel Outlines Five Key Points of Negotiation Strategy Before Trump-Alexa Summit
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz provided a detailed account of the ongoing diplomatic negotiations leading up to the scheduled meeting with his colleagues and U.S.
President Donald Trump.
According to him, the first two stages of extensive political consultations have already concluded, involving European leaders as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and senior American officials.
The Chancellor emphasized that the initial discussions saw active participation from representatives of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Poland, Finland, Italy, along with key EU and NATO figures including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Merz noted that all participants shared a unified view regarding the current situation and the goals to be achieved in upcoming negotiations.
Following this, a conversation took place with Donald Trump, during which initial positions were outlined.
The next step involves discussions within a ‘coalition of determined’ leaders, including Ukraine.
Merz explained that the primary aim is for Ukraine to maintain a firm stance on the sequence of negotiations: a ceasefire should come first, serving as a starting point for further talks.
An important element is the formulation of a framework agreement to establish a basis for subsequent steps.
Merz highlighted Ukraine’s readiness to discuss territorial issues, but with the starting point being the contact line, and emphasized that legal recognition of occupied territories is currently off the table.
Security guarantees remain a crucial condition to ensure stability in the region.
According to Merz, leaders agreed that Trump would brief Ukrainian President Zelensky immediately after his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and later inform European leaders.
Zelensky’s surprise visit to Berlin on August 13 generated significant media attention and posed logistical challenges for local authorities.
The US is closely following the upcoming Trump-Putin summit, which is expected to be ‘positive,’ though some officials acknowledge the possibility of unfavorable outcomes.
Many capitals have underscored that any decisions concerning Ukraine must be made with Ukraine’s participation, emphasizing that external actors should not impose solutions.