BERLIN (AP) — Ukrainian President Voldy Mieselensky will visit Berlin Wednesday, where German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz will take part in consultations with European and US leaders ahead of the Trump Putin Summit later this week, the German government said.
Merz convened a series of virtual meetings on Wednesday, where the voices of European and Ukrainian leaders were heard before the summit they were on the sidelines.
Zelenskyy will first meet with European leaders in preparation for a virtual call with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in about an hour. Calls between the leaders of the country involved in the “coalition of will” – those ready to support the future peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev will be made at the end.
On Wednesday, Merz pledged to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile system that would ensure there are no restrictions on the West’s restrictions and targets as the Kiev government fights to repel them. Russian invasion.
Zelenskyy last visited Berlin in late May.
European interests
Trump says he wants to see if Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about the ending warNow in its fourth year, he describes Friday’s summit as a “feeling encounter” that allows him to evaluate the intentions of Russian leaders.
However, Trump has disappointed European allies by saying that Ukraine must give up on Russian territory. He also said Russia must accept it. Land swapAlthough it was unclear whether President Putin was expected to surrender.
European allies have Promoted Ukraine’s involvement In any peace negotiation, we fear that the debate to eliminate Kiev will support Moscow.
Trump repeatedly shunned the chance on Monday that he pushed Zelensky to take part in discussions with Putin, denies the need for Zelensky to be part of his efforts to seek peace with Zelensky. Trump said a meeting with Russian and Ukrainian leaders could be arranged after Friday’s summit, or a meeting with “Putin, Zelensky and me.”
Europeans and Ukraine are wary of President Putin, who has been the biggest land war in Europe since 1945, is on alert That might be the case with Russian energy To try to blackmail the European Union, they may secure favorable concessions and establish an outline of the peace agreement without them.
The overarching fear of many European countries is that if Putin wins in Ukraine, he will then put his sight on one of them.
Land Concession Kiev Non-Starter
Zelenskyy said Tuesday Putin Ukraine hopes to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region, which it still controls Certain battle agreementa proposal that the leader firmly rejected.
Zelenskyy Ukraine repeatedly said it would not give up on the territory it controls, which he said It’s unconstitutional And it will only serve as a stepping stone for future Russian invasions.
He said US-led diplomatic debate Focusing on the end of the war does not address important Ukrainian demands, such as security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression and include Europe in negotiations.
Three weeks after Trump took office, his administration took leverage of Ukraine’s NATO membership From the table – what Putin requested – and shows that while America is attracting attention elsewhere, the EU and Ukraine must now handle European security.
Trump also routinely threatened and cajoled his NATO allies Defense expenditure,and, Hiking tariff For most EU imports, ostensibly imported to 15% for US national security reasons.
EU officials believe Trump may be content with simply securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, and perhaps he is more interested in broader US geographical interests and great power politics, aiming to strengthen his business with Russia and rehabilitate Putin.
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Cook reported from Brussels.
