Ukraine's Zelensky in Berlin Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in video calls with several European leaders and United States President Donald Trump during a visit to Berlin. These discussions preceded Trump's scheduled face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was set to take place on Friday.

The summit between Trump and Putin, planned for Alaska, aimed to address the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. During his 2024 election campaign, Trump had stated his intention to resolve the conflict immediately upon returning to office. This meeting marked the first in-person encounter between the two leaders since their 2019 meeting in Japan during Trump's initial term as president.

Prior to his call with the US president, Zelensky held discussions with European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. These leaders collectively expressed European solidarity with Ukraine regarding the conflict.

A European Commission spokesperson acknowledged Trump's efforts to achieve peace for Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of a just and lasting resolution that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. The spokesperson also indicated that the EU was collaborating with Ukraine to ensure these principles were considered during the Friday meeting. Trump stated he would contact Zelensky after the Alaska talks concluded, but the Ukrainian leader would not be directly involved in the summit.

The European Union maintains a strong stance that any resolution must include Ukraine's participation and that international borders should not be altered through force. Hungary stands as the sole EU member that does not share this perspective.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto expressed support for a ceasefire and peace talks, suggesting that such actions could have prevented significant loss of life and displacement.

Neil Melvin, director of international security at the Royal United Services Institute, observed that European leaders have been marginalized in the negotiations, with the EU perceived as largely irrelevant by Trump and Putin. He noted that while European leaders could share their perspectives with Trump, and the US would brief them on the summit's outcomes, Europe was essentially an observer in the process, with the conflict's resolution being negotiated without its direct involvement.