Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on August 7 amid news of a possible meeting between the leaders of the USA and Russia. During the dialogue, the parties discussed the current situation on the front and the prospects for ending the war.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Coordination of Actions Between Ukraine and Germany
As a result of the discussion, Zelensky noted that Kyiv and Berlin share a common vision regarding the need for a swift cessation of hostilities on the terms of a dignified peace. It was emphasized that the parameters for ending the conflict would determine long-term security guarantees for Europe. The President stressed the importance of European states’ participation in future diplomatic processes.
“Ukraine and Germany equally see the necessity to end the war as soon as possible with a dignified peace, and the parameters for ending this war will define the security conditions for Europe for decades. The war is in Europe, and Ukraine is an integral part of Europe… Therefore, Europe must be a participant in the relevant processes.”
The presidents agreed to continue maintaining close contact and consented to hold additional consultations. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine does not shy away from meetings and also expects a decisive stance from the Russian side on achieving peace.
Reaction to Trump’s Statements and the International Context
The conversation between Zelensky and Merz took place against the backdrop of reports from Moscow about a high likelihood of negotiations between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stated that during the meeting in Moscow on August 6, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff raised the issue of a trilateral meeting involving Zelensky, but the Russian side refrained from commenting.
On the same day, Donald Trump confirmed his intention to meet with the presidents of Russia and Ukraine “very soon” to discuss ways to achieve peace. At the same time, he emphasized that the negotiations between his special envoy and Putin could not be called groundbreaking and suggested the possibility of imposing secondary tariffs on goods from Russia and countries cooperating with it, including China and India.
Diplomatic sources in the EU also report preparations for a personal meeting between Trump and Putin. This information emerged after Witkoff’s negotiations with Putin, which took place a day before the expiration of Trump’s ultimatum regarding the need to establish a ceasefire by August 8. Should this requirement not be met, the US President announced the introduction of 100% tariffs on imports of Russian goods and products from its trading partners.
Following the mentioned meeting, Trump stated that “significant progress” had been made in the negotiations. Additionally, the Kremlin recently noted that Putin does not rule out the possibility of direct negotiations with Zelensky, but believes that the necessary conditions have not yet been created for this.