Merz to host Trump-Zelenskyy virtual talks – DW – 08/13/2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend a trio of video calls in person with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is hosting the meetings with US President Donald Trump as well as European leaders.

“The president is working in Berlin today,” Zelenskyy’s spokesperson said, adding that a bilateral meeting with Merz is also planned.

US President Donald Trump will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a virtual meeting hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The meeting comes two days before Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Merz has invited Zelenskyy, along with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, and other EU and NATO officials, to join the call ahead of the talks with Trump.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance will then participate in a second round of discussions.

Afterward,  Ukraine’s military European backers, including Germany, France and the UK, will also convene.

The talks come ahead of Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, their first since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.

EU leaders have reaffirmed Ukraine’s right to self-determination and rejected any changes to borders by force.

Zelenskyy has ruled out withdrawing troops from the Donbas region.

Merz’s office said Wednesday’s discussions will focus on increasing pressure on Russia and preparing for potential peace negotiations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to deepen cooperation during a phone call on Tuesday.

North Korea’s state news agency KCNA later reported the two leaders confirmed “their will to strengthen cooperation in the future.”

The Kremlin confirmed the call, noting Putin shared details about his scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump about the war in Ukraine on Friday.

Putin expressed appreciation for “the self-sacrificing spirit displayed by service personnel of the Korean People’s Army in liberating Kursk,” KCNA said.

Kim, in turn, pledged that North Korea would “fully support all measures to be taken by the Russian leadership in the future, too.”

North Korea has deployed an estimated 10,000 troops to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

Yesterday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “listening session.”

This afternoon, however, Trump will first need to listen to key European and NATO leaders, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the very people he excluded from his private meeting with Putin set for Friday.

The US president is pushing to end the war in Ukraine, but Putin’s peace proposals heavily favor Russia. Zelenskyy has already called giving up Ukrainian territory a nonstarter, and European and NATO leaders fear the plan could serve as a launchpad for further Russian aggression into Europe. That means the conversations ahead may be tougher than Trump anticipates.

A substantive breakthrough, whether during today’s virtual talks or Friday’s in-person meeting, seems unlikely. Whatever happens, we will cover it here.