- Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Berlin for talks convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz before Friday’s Trump–Putin summit in Alaska.
- European leaders and Ukraine are seeking influence over peace discussions from which they’ve been sidelined.
- Zelenskyy rejects territorial concessions; Russia presses gains near Pokrovsk as Ukraine strikes a Bryansk oil facility.
The Big Picture
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting a round of talks in Berlin on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to coordinate positions before President Donald Trump meets Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday,according to the Associated Press. The European side and Kyiv have been excluded from the Alaska summit and want their concerns heard as cease-fire ideas circulate.
As reported by AP, Zelenskyy will first confer with European counterparts, then join a virtual call with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. A separate call of countries in a “coalition of the willing” — potential guarantors to police any future peace terms — is set to follow. European capitals fear talks that exclude Kyiv could tilt in Moscow’s favor.
What’s New
AP reports that Zelenskyy says his government has held more than 30 conversations with partners ahead of the summit but sees “no sign” Russia is preparing to end the war. On the ground, Russian forces are pressing toward the logistics hub of Pokrovsk in Donetsk, while Ukraine’s military claims a drone strike on Russia’s Bryansk region hit the Unecha oil pumping station overnight, causing a large fire.
Trump has described the Alaska meeting as a “feel-out” session to test Putin’s intentions. He has also suggested Ukraine may need to cede some Russian-held territory and floated “land swaps,” positions that have unsettled European allies, according to AP.
What They’re Saying
Context
During Zelenskyy’s last Berlin visit in late May, Merz pledged support for Ukraine’s development of its own long-range missile systems free of Western usage limits, as reported by AP. European leaders insist Ukraine must be directly involved in any peace process and warn that a deal without Kyiv could reward aggression and invite future encroachments on EU states.
AP notes Trump has so far declined to commit to pushing for Zelenskyy’s participation in the Putin talks. His administration also removed Ukraine’s near-term NATO membership from consideration, a longstanding Russian demand, while signaling Europe should shoulder more of the continent’s security burden.
What’s Next
The Trump–Putin summit is slated for Friday, August 15, in Alaska. Depending on outcomes, Trump has floated the possibility of a follow-up meeting that could include Putin and Zelenskyy together. Meanwhile, combat dynamics around Pokrovsk and ongoing Ukrainian strikes on Russian logistics will shape leverage heading into — and out of — the summit, according to AP.
The Bottom Line
Berlin’s consultations are Europe’s bid to keep Kyiv’s interests front and center as high-level U.S.–Russia diplomacy resumes. Ukraine says no territorial surrender is acceptable; Moscow seeks battlefield gains to strengthen its hand. What emerges from Alaska will set the tone for any cease-fire path — and for Europe’s security calculus — in the months ahead.
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