Berlin Calls for More Pressure on Moscow Ahead of Trump - Zelenskiy Talks

Wadephul framed the coming Washington talks as pivotal, saying “the whole world is looking to Washington.” Standing alongside Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, he argued that firm security guarantees would be essential to any ceasefire or peace agreement, and that amplifying support for Ukraine now would improve Kyiv’s leverage at the negotiating table. The remarks signal Berlin’s intent to keep allied pressure aligned across Europe and Asia in the run-up to the White House meeting.

The diplomatic choreography is designed to bolster Zelenskiy’s hand. European leaders, including Merz, France’s Emmanuel Macron and the U.K.’s Keir Starmer, met over the weekend to coalesce around a package of guarantees for Ukraine while emphasizing that Kyiv must participate directly in talks on territory and security. The aim is to avoid any framework that sidelines Ukraine’s agency while preserving a path to negotiations should battlefield dynamics or external pressure open a window.

The Alaska encounter between Trump and Putin adds urgency and uncertainty to the equation, sharpening European focus on allied unity and on the contours of any U.S. security commitments to Kyiv. For Berlin, the message is that sanctions, military aid and diplomatic pressure should move in tandem to compel meaningful Russian concessions rather than simply freeze the conflict. As leaders gather in Washington, the central test will be whether stronger guarantees for Ukraine can be articulated without undercutting the conditions for a durable peace.