German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says President Trump has assured European allies that the US will join in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, with a three-way Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy summit now on the horizon.
The United States is prepared to take part in security guarantees for Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Saturday, citing a briefing from US President Donald Trump following his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to German broadcaster ZDF, Merz described the news as a breakthrough:
“The good news is that America is ready to participate in such security guarantees and is not leaving it to the Europeans alone.”
Merz revealed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet Trump in Washington on Monday, with European leaders already coordinating advice for Kyiv ahead of the talks. He added that the ultimate goal is a three-way summit between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy aimed at hammering out a lasting peace deal.
“If that works out, it’s worth more than a ceasefire,” Merz said.
According to Merz, Trump suggested that Russia may be willing to negotiate based on current front lines, rather than on its broader territorial claims — a potential shift that he described as “a huge difference,” since Moscow continues to claim areas it does not control.
In a separate interview with n-tv, Merz noted that he does not expect Zelenskyy’s upcoming meeting with Trump to be as tense as their February clash, when the two leaders publicly disagreed.
“We’ll give a few good pieces of advice,” Merz said, stressing that European leaders would back Ukraine’s position while encouraging compromise.
Despite Europe’s push for unity, Merz emphasized that the US remains central to shaping the conflict’s trajectory:
“The American president has the power both militarily and via appropriate sanctions and tariffs to ensure that Russia moves more than it currently does.”
With Trump’s engagement, Putin’s signals of flexibility, and Zelenskyy’s upcoming Washington talks, momentum appears to be building toward what could be the first serious peace framework for Ukraine since the war began.
