In front of the Alaska summit: Trump warns Putin of serious consequences

After a round of voting with the Europeans, US President Donald Trump has threatened Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin with “very serious consequences” if he was not involved in an end to the Ukraine War. When asked whether he meanes tariffs, the president did not enter into a appearance in Washington. Before that, the Europeans had tried to set Trump to five points for peace talks before his meeting with Putin – including a ceasefire and security guarantees.

“In Alaska, fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must remain preserved,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) asked for a joint appearance with the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj in Berlin after a conference of the European with Trump. With a view to the Trump Putin meeting on Friday, Merz spoke of “Hope for Movement” and “Hope for Peace in Ukraine”.

The Europeans and Selenskyj fear that Trump and Putin in Alaska could agree on territories of Ukraine to Russia on Friday that Kiev strictly rejects.

As a signal of support for Ukraine, Merz, who had organized the video selections, invited Selenskyj directly to Berlin to the switching conferences. The Ukrainian referred to the constitution of his country on the question of territory, which this does not allow. Selenskyj said, however: “I would like to underline that any questions that affect the territorial integrity of our state cannot be discussed without considering our state, our people, the will of the state, the will of our people and the constitution of Ukraine.”

“A ceasefire must be at the beginning”

Merz emphasized that the advisors were very agreed in the evaluation of the starting point as well as in the achievable goal for Friday. With a view of the summit in Alaska, he said: “We want President Donald Trump to succeed in Anchorage on Friday.”

It was made clear that Ukraine had to sit at the table as soon as there were subsequent meetings. “We want to negotiate in the correct order. A ceasefire must be at the beginning,” said Merz. Essential elements should then be agreed in a framework agreement.

Third, he named: “Ukraine is ready for negotiations on territorial questions. But then the so -called contact line must be the starting point and a legal recognition of Russian staffing is not up for debate. The principle that boundaries must not be violently changed must be removed.” The front course is called the contact line.

“Robust security guarantees for Kiev” and the defense capacity by the Ukrainian armed forces are also necessary. In addition, negotiations would have to be part of a common transatlantic strategy.

Without results in Alaska more pressure on Russia

If there is no movement in Alaska, the United States and Europeans would have to increase the pressure, said Merz: “President Trump knows this position, he shares it very largely. And that’s why I can say: We have had a really constructive and good conversation with each other.”

After the telephone switch with the Europeans, Trump again promised a meeting between Selenskyj and Putin. He also wanted to take part in this, provided that Selenskyj and Putin wanted this. However, he wanted to wait and see how his meeting with Putin in Alaska – because it also could not lead to another meeting.

Government circles: will react quickly to Alaska summit

In German government circles it was said that Trump had agreed that he would immediately teach Europeans about the meeting with Putin. Trump is expected to inform Selenskyj to upgrade it, and then on Friday night or Saturday morning the European core group, which also includes Germany. The Federal Government wants to keep this European-Ukrainian group closely together in order to react quickly, unite, clearly and decisively to the result of Anchorage.

In addition to Merz, Selenskyj and Trump, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President António Costa and NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte, as well as France President Emmanuel Macron, the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italy’s head of government Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Poland was also represented in various rounds by head of state Karol Nawrocki or Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

According to the EU Commission President, Europe, the USA and NATO have strengthened their common basis, as they announced after the switching conference. She spoke of a “very good conversation” in which one exchanged information about the upcoming bilateral meeting in Alaska.

Macron for three-way meetings Trump-Putin-Selenskyj in Europe

Macron spoke out for a three -way meeting between Trump, Putin and Selenskyj in Europe. He said: “We wish that this will be held in Europe, in a neutral country that is accepted from all sides.”

Chancellor’s apartment, secret protection room and library

Merz, who initiated the three differently composed international switching to Trump’s Ukraine policy and whose Alaska summit with Putin, used several rooms for the more unusual formats in the Chancellery. So the food took place with Selenskyj and his team in the chancellor’s apartment on the eighth floor. Because of the confidentiality, the core group of European Ukraine supporters then advised in the neglected secret protection room. The telephone switch with Trump then existed in the library converted into a video room, it was said from German government circles.

Russia also wants to talk about bilateral questions in Alaska

According to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow, Russia wants to continue working on the normalization of bilateral relations on Friday. It is about all the questions that have accumulated-from the Ukraine conflict and the obstacles for a normally functioning dialogue between the two countries, said the deputy ministry spokesman Alexej Fadejew in Moscow. The summit is of great importance for international peace and stability in the world.