German Chancellor Friedrich Merz appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday not to surprise allies if he holds talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in China about Ukraine.
“Some people here in Dublin fear there could be a repeat of Anchorage,” Merz said on the sidelines of a meeting of EU leaders in the Irish capital. He was referring to the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska in August 2025, which raised concerns among European countries about arrangements to end the war that could be unfavorable to Ukraine and Europe.
“I want to convey our appeal to the United States very clearly: please, no surprises. (…) Keep playing on the same team as Europe and Ukraine,” he added.
The German chancellor said substantive peace negotiations with European participation are due to begin in the coming weeks. He again rejected Russia’s demand that the talks cover a broader European security architecture.
In early October, Merz made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The head of the German government is currently working to ensure that all European Union member states take a fair share in financing support for Ukraine. He has also linked progress in negotiations on the EU’s next multiyear budget to securing long-term aid for Ukraine.
Next week, Trump plans to travel to China for the APEC summit, to be held Nov. 17-18 in Shenzhen. A possible meeting of the U.S., Russian and Chinese leaders at the summit is a source of concern. The Kremlin said that talks among Trump, Putin and Xi Jinping could address the war against Ukraine and the security situation in Europe, although there is so far no confirmation from Washington or Beijing that a meeting of the three leaders will take place.
From Berlin, Mateusz Obremski (PAP)
