European leaders asked for a discussion with Trump before the leader's call from the White House with Putin. Friedrich Merz: “I agreed that we will discuss again”
Volodimir Zelenski received Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Donald Tusk and Keir Starmer in Kiev. Photo credit: UKRINFORM / SIPA Press / Profimedia
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that, together with the leaders of Great Britain, France and Poland, he intends to talk to US President Donald Trump before the telephone call he will have with Vladimir Putin, notes Reuters.
Merz said he addressed the subject in the discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during the inaugural liturgy of Pope Leon XIV, at the Vatican. Also there, he said he had an extended discussion with the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski.
“We talked to Marco Rubio, including about tomorrow's call. We agreed that we will talk again with the four state leaders and the US president, to prepare this conversation (with little n. Red.),” Merz told journalists.
Trump announced a day ago that he will talk on Monday, by phone, with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to stop the “blood bath” caused by the Ukraine war, according to a posting on his social network, Social Truth.
Later, Trump said that he will also discuss with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, as well as with NATO officials, expressing his hope that a “ceasefire will take place, and this extremely violent war will be over”.
Donald Trump's announcement came one day after the first direct peace discussions between Russia and Ukraine of 2022, held without significant progress. Kiev accused Moscow of coming to the negotiating table with “unacceptable” requests. However, the two parties agreed to return each other 1,000 prisoners of war in the next period.
After negotiations in Istanbul, Zelenski, along with leaders in France, Germany, UK and Poland talked about US President Donald Trump on Friday.
After talk with Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Russia's position in negotiations remains clearly unacceptable, noting that this is not the first time this happens.
“I just had a meeting with President Zelenski and then a phone call with President Trump to discuss today's negotiations,” said British Prime Minister, quoted by Sky News.
“Therefore, as a result of that meeting with President Zelenski and that call with President Trump, we are now closely aligned and we will continue to do so,” added Starmer.
