The anticipated meeting in China between U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping has prompted immediate reactions in Europe. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has asked Trump to avoid surprise deals with Putin during this meeting, according to reports from Newsmax Balkans.
Merz’s request comes at a moment when talks on Ukraine’s future are at the center of international attention. Any unexpected move by Washington could affect the balance of European alliances. This is emphasized by Berlin, which seeks coordination with Kyiv and European allies before any possible agreement.
The trilateral meeting in China is a rare diplomatic event, as it brings together three leaders with different interests on the world stage. It is expected to have wide resonance in Western capitals. Meanwhile, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, has warned EU leaders not to accept Russia’s conditions for peace negotiations in Ukraine.
She calls for a ceasefire to be reached first and then for the peace agreement to be discussed, before any negotiation on European security. Kallas’s stance reinforces the European line that any peace process must begin with a cessation of hostilities and not with prior concessions to Moscow.
Her warning coincides with the German chancellor’s request, indicating increased coordination between Brussels and Berlin to preserve unity in the face of Russia. In this context, the meeting in China between Trump, Putin and Xi raises the question of what role Beijing will play in balancing relations between Washington and Moscow.
Europe does not want to be sidelined in decisions affecting its security. While European diplomacy strives to maintain a united front, attention remains on the concrete results of the trilateral meeting and on any statement that may emerge from it. So far, there are no other details about the meeting’s agenda or the topics to be discussed. Expectations are high for a dialogue that could determine the direction of international relations in the months ahead.