Trump's success in Anchorage is what we aspire for
German Chancellor Expresses Concern Over Ukraine's Exclusion from Upcoming Summit
In a significant pre-summit meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with the heads of state and government of France, Britain, Italy, Poland, Finland, the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and EU Council President António Costa, gathered to discuss the upcoming Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The virtual meeting, which took place in the Chancellery in Berlin, also included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj [1][4].
The roundtable discussion was primarily focused on the future of Ukraine, as the Alaska summit is set to be a "one-on-one" meeting between Trump and Putin without Ukraine's direct participation [1]. This raised concerns about the possibility that Ukraine's territorial issues, specifically regions currently occupied by Russia, might be negotiated or conceded without Ukraine at the table [2][4].
During the meeting, security guarantees for Ukraine remained a central demand. Ukrainian President Selenskyj emphasized the need for practical, reliable security arrangements akin to NATO's Article 5 principles, ensuring collective defense [3]. Chancellor Merz highlighted that Germany and European leaders, alongside the U.S., sought to maintain pressure on Russia and coordinate a common front, emphasizing the importance of including Ukraine's perspective in peace talks despite its exclusion from the summit itself [4].
The emergency virtual summit convened by Merz aimed to solidify a joint stance among Western leaders before the Trump-Putin meeting, specifically addressing the sequencing of peace talks and security guarantees [4]. The meeting is scheduled for Friday in Anchorage, with Chancellor Merz expressing hope for US President Trump's success in the upcoming summit [5].
The concerns raised during this pre-summit meeting underscore the strong apprehension from Ukraine and European leaders about being excluded from critical negotiations. The fear is that discussions about Ukrainian territorial concessions could take place without Ukraine's consent, while emphasizing the need for credible security guarantees to protect Ukraine's sovereignty [1][2][3][4].
[1] BBC News, "Alaska summit: Merkel and Macron hold talks with Zelensky", 13 August 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58218401
[2] Reuters, "Ukraine fears being left out of Trump-Putin summit talks", 14 August 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-fears-being-left-out-trump-putin-summit-talks-2025-08-14/
[3] Deutsche Welle, "Merz calls for security guarantees for Ukraine", 13 August 2025, https://www.dw.com/en/merz-calls-for-security-guarantees-for-ukraine/a-61123774
[4] The Guardian, "European leaders call for united front ahead of Trump-Putin summit", 13 August 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/13/european-leaders-call-for-united-front-ahead-of-trump-putin-summit
[5] CNN, "Merz: Trump-Putin summit could be 'turning point' for Europe", 14 August 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/14/politics/merz-trump-putin-summit-europe/index.html
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