European leaders plan meeting with Trump ahead of Putin talks - WSJ

Published 11/08/2025, 16:26
European leaders plan meeting with Trump ahead of Putin talks - WSJ

Investing.com -- European leaders are planning to meet with President Trump before his scheduled summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing European officials.

The meeting, set for Wednesday at 3 p.m. Berlin time, will be a videoconference that includes leaders from Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Poland, Finland, NATO, the European Union’s executive body, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. President Trump and Vice President JD Vance are listed as U.S. participants.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz extended the invitation to Trump during a phone call on Sunday, with the German government officially announcing the meeting on Monday.

European officials told The Journal they aim to establish what they consider red lines in any potential cease-fire agreement between Russia and Ukraine. These include emphasizing that a cease-fire must be the first step in any deal, that territorial exchanges must be reciprocal and based on current front lines, and that Ukraine must receive long-term security guarantees.

The European leaders also plan to urge Trump to include Zelensky and other European heads of government in the upcoming meeting with Putin. On Sunday, Vice President Vance stated on Fox News that while the initial Trump-Putin meeting would not include Zelensky, U.S. officials planned to involve the Ukrainian leader in a subsequent summit.

European officials expressed concerns that Trump might reach an agreement with Putin that could undermine Ukraine and threaten European security.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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