Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European and U.S. leaders ahead of a planned Trump-Putin summit later this week, the German government said.
Merz has arranged a series of virtual meetings on Wednesday to ensure European and Ukrainian perspectives are heard before the Alaska summit, where President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to discuss potential paths toward ending Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy and European leaders are not formally invited to the summit.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet European leaders first, followed by a virtual call with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Later, leaders of the “coalition of the willing,” those ready to help enforce any future peace deal, are expected to hold discussions.
Zelenskyy to visit Berlin ahead of Trump-Putin summit
During his last visit to Berlin in May, Merz pledged assistance to help Ukraine develop long-range missile systems free from Western-imposed limits. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said his government has held over 30 consultations with partners ahead of the summit but expressed doubt that Putin would negotiate in good faith. Writing on his official Telegram channel, Zelenskyy said there were “currently no signs that the Russians are preparing to end the war” and called on U.S. and European partners to coordinate efforts and “force Russia to peace.”
Trump has described Friday’s summit as a “feel-out meeting” to assess Putin’s intentions but has suggested Ukraine might have to cede some Russian-held territory, raising European concerns. Kyiv has firmly rejected any territorial concessions, labeling them unconstitutional and warning they could invite future Russian aggression.
On the ground, Russian forces are advancing around Pokrovsk in eastern Donbas, threatening Ukrainian supply lines, while Ukrainian drones struck an oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk region overnight, causing significant damage and a large fire. Ukrainian officials said the operation targeted pipelines supplying the Russian army and was carried out by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces and military intelligence.
Source: Agency