Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz summarized their negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire and the strengthening of sanctions against Russia. They stressed that these issues should be key topics during the upcoming summit of U.S. and Russian leaders, which will take place in Anchorage, Alaska.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ceasefire — the Main Demand
Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Ukraine and its European partners expect the primary topic of the summit to be the cessation of hostilities. According to him, the participants of the Berlin conference agreed on common principles, including the establishment of effective security guarantees for Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed support for these initiatives and the readiness of the United States to actively participate in ensuring peace.
“There must be a ceasefire – number one. There must be security guarantees, and they must be truly reliable. By the way, today President Trump spoke about supporting this and America’s readiness to participate,” Zelensky emphasized.
The Ukrainian president also highlighted that peace negotiations must be conducted in parallel with the strengthening of sanctions pressure on Russia. He noted that sanctions demonstrate a real impact on the Russian military economy, even if the Kremlin tries to deny it.
European Demands for Negotiations and Security Guarantees
Chancellor Friedrich Merz explained that European leaders insist on Ukraine’s presence during the next rounds of negotiations with the U.S. and Russia. He stated that a constructive conversation with Trump allowed them to agree on a common position: a ceasefire should serve as a starting point for further agreements, and territorial issues should be resolved considering the current line of confrontation.
Merz emphasized that legal recognition of the occupation of Ukrainian territories by the West is impossible, and part of the negotiations should include long-term security guarantees for Kyiv and assistance from Western allies.
If significant progress is not achieved at the summit in Anchorage, the U.S. and Europe are prepared to intensify sanctions and political pressure on Russia. According to Merz, President Trump supported these ideas.
The leaders of Germany and Ukraine agreed on further contacts with Trump after his meeting with the President of Russia. The American president will first consult with the Ukrainian leadership and then with European partners.
Donald Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin will take place on August 15 in Anchorage. The day before, Trump suggested the possibility of “some territorial exchange” between Ukraine and Russia, which caused discontent among the Ukrainian leadership due to the need for such decisions to be agreed upon at the constitutional level.
According to several media reports, Vladimir Putin told Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff about his readiness for a ceasefire “on the condition of the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk region,” but at the same time did not renounce claims to the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine will not concede its territories. He also noted that neither he nor representatives of the European Union were invited to the summit in Anchorage, but the U.S. administration maintains constant communication with Kyiv and European capitals.