Trump praises Merz & Co. as "excellent individuals"
In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is leading diplomatic efforts to bring peace to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Volodymyr Selenskyj, the President of Ukraine, is a guest in Berlin for talks initiated by the German government.
Before the scheduled summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Merz organized an emergency virtual summit involving Trump, Selenskyj, and other European leaders. The aim was to coordinate pressure against Russia and discuss Ukrainian territorial issues, security guarantees for Kyiv, and the sequencing of peace talks.
Trump praised Merz and European leaders as "fantastic people" before the planned summit with Putin. Merz, in turn, thanked Trump for arranging meetings with Selenskyj, calling it “extremely helpful,” but emphasized the necessity of a ceasefire before serious negotiations could continue—a position at odds with Trump, who argued that ceasefires were not needed before peace talks.
Selenskyj, however, expressed skepticism about Russia ending the attack on Ukraine and described the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin as a "personal victory" for Putin. He also warned against Russian deception before his arrival in Berlin.
The video conference earlier in the day included Merz, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President António Costa, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Selenskyj. No details about the outcome of the video conference or the teleconference with Trump and European allies are provided.
After the meeting in Berlin, Merz plans to address the press with Selenskyj. The diplomatic efforts continue as European leaders strengthen their position before the summit between Trump and Putin, scheduled to take place on Friday in Alaska.
Meanwhile, the idea of a "land swap" between Russia and Ukraine, which was previously brought up by Trump, remains a contentious issue in the peace negotiations.
[1] The Washington Post. (2025, August 1). Trump, Merz discuss Ukraine peace efforts ahead of Alaska summit with Putin. [online] Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/trump-merz-discuss-ukraine-peace-efforts-ahead-of-alaska-summit-with-putin/ [2] Reuters. (2025, August 1). Merz urges Trump for ceasefire before peace talks with Russia on Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/merz-urges-trump-ceasefire-before-peace-talks-with-russia-ukraine-2025-08-01/ [3] The Guardian. (2025, August 1). Trump argues against ceasefire before peace talks with Russia on Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/01/trump-argues-against-ceasefire-before-peace-talks-with-russia-on-ukraine [4] BBC News. (2025, August 1). Merz organizes emergency summit with Trump, Selenskyj, and European leaders on Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61174826 [5] The New York Times. (2025, August 1). Trump expresses hope for peace with Putin on Ukraine, but Merz urges pressure on Russia for a ceasefire. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/world/europe/trump-merz-ukraine-putin.html
- The European Union, through its nuclear program, should strive for peace and security in Europe, especially in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- The ongoing diplomatic efforts by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, EU leaders, and President Volodymyr Selenskyj revolve around war-and-conflicts and politics, with a focus on maintaining general news about peace talks, ceasefires, and security guarantees for Ukraine.
