European officials and President Zelenskyy aim to establish a dialogue with U.S. President Trump regarding Ukraine matters
In a significant move on August 13, 2025, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted a series of three video conferences involving key European leaders, the US and Ukrainian presidents, and NATO's secretary general. The purpose of these discussions was to address Ukraine's future and find a solution to the nearly four-year-long Russian war of aggression.
The first meeting, at 2 PM, included leaders from Germany, France, the UK, Poland, Italy, Finland, the heads of the European Commission and Council, NATO's secretary general, and Ukraine's president. The focus was on options to pressure Russia, addressing Ukraine’s occupied territories, security guarantees for Ukraine, and possible stages for peace talks.
The second meeting, at 3 PM, included US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, EU leaders, and President Zelenskyy for further discussion. The talks aimed to strengthen allied coordination and set conditions for potential peace talks, with an emphasis on maintaining Ukraine's security and territorial integrity.
The third meeting, at 4:30 PM, was a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” – military allies supporting Ukraine – chaired by Germany, the UK, and France.
German Chancellor Merz emphasized the need to safeguard fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests. The talks were organized ahead of a planned Trump-Putin meeting, underscoring the importance of a united position on Ukraine’s future.
Regarding expected outcomes, discussions would cover measures to pressure Russia and security guarantees for Ukraine. There was concern that a US-brokered settlement might force concessions unsatisfactory to both Ukraine and Russia. NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte suggested a future agreement might implicitly recognize Russia's control over some parts of Ukraine but doubted Russia would be rewarded for starting the war.
Merz stressed the necessity of a ceasefire as a prerequisite for further talks with Putin and indicated skepticism about more meetings taking place without one. The outcomes aimed to strengthen allied coordination and set conditions for potential peace talks, with an emphasis on maintaining Ukraine's security and territorial integrity while preparing for the possible implications of the Trump-Putin meeting.
Trump hinted at a meeting between Zelensky and Putin: "The next meeting will be with Zelensky and Putin, or with Zelensky, Putin, and me." However, Zelensky ruled out any decisions on Ukraine at the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin.
After the video conference, Merz plans to discuss the results with members of the "Coalition of the Willing." Zelensky expressed confidence that a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and him will take place to end the war. Despite Trump's refusal to make promises for security guarantees in favor of Ukraine after a possible ceasefire or even a peace agreement, the discussions marked a significant step towards a united front for Ukraine's future.
Other discussions revolved around policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, as leaders considered the ramifications of various policy proposals on Ukraine's future and the ongoing Russian war-and-conflicts. The key players acknowledged the importance of maintaining Ukraine's security and territorial integrity while addressing their concerns over a potential US-brokered settlement that might not align with their interests.
