A key concern in Europe is that Trump has talked of “land swapping” in a peace deal without giving Zelensky a seat at the table on Friday and without any certainty about long-term security from Putin’s ambitions for control in other parts of the continent, such as the Baltic states.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who hosted the meeting, set out a staged approach that should begin with a ceasefire and could lead to discussions about territory.
“We want the correct sequence: first, a ceasefire. This must be at the very beginning. Later, there may be a framework agreement,” he said.
“Third, Ukraine is ready to negotiate on talks and territorial issues, but our starting point is the contact line.”
The remarks signalled a willingness in Ukraine to consider the control of areas such as Luhansk and Donetsk, which Russia controls but Ukraine claims.
“If there is no movement on the Russian side in Alaska, then the United States and we Europeans should … increase the pressure,” Merz said.
Loading
“President Trump knows this position, he shares it very extensively and therefore I can say: we have had a really exceptionally constructive and good conversation with each other.”
Trump on Wednesday threw ahead to a potential second meeting between Putin and Zelensky, possibly with the US president attending if they wanted him there.
“The first [meeting] is: I’m going to find out where we are and what we’re doing,” he said.
“Certain great things can be gained in the first meeting … but it’s setting the table for the second meeting.”
Trump said if Friday’s summit went “OK”, then his preference would be to hold a second meeting “almost immediately” afterwards. But he also conceded it might not happen.
“If I feel like it’s not appropriate to have it, because I didn’t get the answers that we have to have, then we’re not going to have a second meeting,” he said.
Asked what would happen if Putin did not agree to stop the war following Friday’s meeting, Trump said there would be “very severe consequences” for Russia, but declined to say what they would entail.
The meeting on Wednesday, included leaders from the US, Germany, Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Poland, the European Union and NATO.
Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
