German Chancellor Merz urges European role in Ukraine peace talks as President Trump pushes negotiations
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Chancellor Friedrich Merz told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Europe must be included in any Ukraine peace settlement, criticizing the U.S. invitation to President Vladimir Putin for the G20 and calling for Ukraine’s direct participation.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe must help shape any peace agreement for Ukraine as President Donald Trump renews efforts to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking alongside President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin, Merz emphasized that key elements such as sanctions and security arrangements can only be resolved with European involvement.
"Europe must and wants to play a role in this process," Merz said.
Zelenskyy added that a settlement cannot exclude Ukraine’s future EU membership or its access to the bloc’s security infrastructure, noting that the United States and Russia cannot decide Ukraine’s EU status without European support.
The remarks came ahead of U.S.-brokered talks scheduled in Abu Dhabi and a European Commission meeting on Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. Merz also condemned the U.S. decision to invite President Putin to the December G20 summit in Miami, calling it "completely unacceptable" for third parties to discuss Ukraine’s fate without Kyiv’s presence.
"If President Trump were to decide to invite the Russian president, then Ukraine must be the first topic of discussion. And if Ukraine is discussed, then the president of Ukraine must be seated at the table," Merz said.
Merz announced that Germany will increase aid to help Ukraine through the winter and urged all European nations to share responsibility. He also said Germany will host a "Coalition of the Willing" meeting on November 19 to coordinate additional military support and discuss security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy highlighted ongoing shortages in air-defence interceptors and a new support package for Ukraine’s fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets. Later at the Berlin Security Conference, he warned that a shrinking U.S. role would require a stronger European presence, stating, "And without Germany, this is impossible."