German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged US President Donald Trump not to spring surprises on European allies during the expected talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine, which are expected to take place next week in China.
From Dublin, Merz expressed concern that the scenario of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska could be repeated, a meeting European leaders had considered a potentially decisive moment in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. “Some here in Dublin fear that the Anchorage scenario could be repeated. That is why I want to convey our message to the United States of America very clearly: Please, no surprises. Continue to act as part of Team Europe and Team Ukraine,” stressed the German chancellor.
Merz is also trying to ensure that EU leaders commit to continued support for Ukraine as part of negotiations on the union’s long-term budget. He said his proposal had received broad support, but the parties were still far from reaching an agreement. After meetings this week between American and Russian representatives in Abu Dhabi, substantive peace negotiations are expected to begin in the coming weeks, in which European representatives should also take part for the first time, according to Merz.
The German chancellor rejected Russia’s demands that the European security architecture be placed at the center of negotiations, stressing that such a structure already exists in the form of NATO. “The upcoming talks must focus on one essential issue: within what framework can Ukraine’s security be guaranteed after peace is achieved? But first we must achieve that peace,” Merz concluded.
