Zelensky in Berlin for urgent talks ahead of US-Russia summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Berlin on Wednesday for video talks with European allies and US President Donald Trump, ahead of a high-stakes US-Russia meeting on the war in Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who organized the talks at short notice, said the aim was to ensure Kiev and its European partners are fully involved ahead of Trump's Friday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Zelensky landed by helicopter at the Chancellery, where Merz personally greeted him.

The two leaders held bilateral discussions over lunch before beginning the video conference with European allies at 2 pm (1200 GMT). Expected participants included the leaders of France, Britain, Italy, Poland and Finland, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

About an hour later, a second online discussion will be held with Trump and US Vice President JD Vance. Merz and Zelensky are then due to give statements in Berlin at around 4 pm.

The German leader also plans to update the members of the Coalition of the Willing, an alliance of some 30 countries supporting Ukraine led by Britain and France, on the outcome of the talks with Trump and Vance.

'This war must end'

Ahead of his arrival in Berlin, Zelensky expressed little optimism over Friday's talks in Anchorage, saying Moscow shows no willingness to end the war on its smaller neighbour, now in its fourth year.

"This war must end. Pressure must be exerted on Russia for a fair peace," Zelensky wrote on Telegram before touching down in the German capital. He said Ukraine, Europe, and the US must act together to compel Moscow to negotiate.

European governments fear the Trump–Putin talks could lead to territorial concessions to Russia that Kiev has firmly rejected.

Trump has described the Alaska meeting as an effort to move toward ending the war, now in its fourth year, including possible "land swaps."

Merz, Zelensky and their European partners are expected to try to extract a promise from the US president to refrain from making any deals with Russia without involving Ukraine and its European partners.

What is Trump going to do?

On Monday, Trump appeared to dispel fears that he could strike a potential agreement without Ukraine's involvement, saying: "It's not up to me to make a deal. I think a deal should be made for both [sides]."

In fact, Trump cannot make any binding commitments to Putin without the consent of Ukraine, with the US neither in the position to dictate a ceasefire nor a withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the country's own internationally recognized territories, particularly since territorial concessions would require a change to the Ukrainian constitution.

However, the US president holds considerable leverage over Ukraine, and could decide to halt arms deliveries or stop sharing satellite data or intelligence information in a major blow to Kiev's defences.

German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius previously said Wednesday's talks were aimed at discussing further options to increase pressure on Moscow. Leaders are also set to talk about preparations for potential peace negotiations.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a troublemaker within the European Union known for blocking efforts to sanction Russia over the war, meanwhile left no room for doubts over what he thinks will be the outcome of Friday's meeting.

"[Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky] has lost this war," he said in an interview published by far-right conservative news site mandiner.hu on Wednesday.

He said that, had it not been for Western financial and military support, Kiev would have capitulated "long ago".