Following a joint video conference with US President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Friedrich Merz appeared before the press at the Chancellery. They see themselves as aligned with Trump on some issues. Follow all developments in the live ticker.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) expressed cautious optimism after a conference call with Zelensky and US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Russia is making further advances ahead of the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Ukraine on Friday.

All developments on the Ukraine summit in our live ticker:

6:34 p.m. – Germany helps finance support package

Germany is financing one of the support packages for Ukraine, consisting of US weapons and ammunition. This was announced jointly by the Ministry of Defense and the Federal Foreign Office following a video conference involving several European representatives of the"Coalition of the Willing." Germany, along with other NATO allies, is prepared to finance one of the first packages, totaling up to 500 million US dollars, it was stated.

NATO will coordinate the implementation of the deliveries, the two German ministries announced. Financing will then be provided by the European partners and Canada. The support packages will include military goods that either cannot be produced by European industry or can be delivered by the US more quickly than by other NATO partners. This also includes air defense capabilities.

5:18 PM – Macron wants three-way meeting with Putin, Trump and Zelensky in a “neutral country” in Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a three-way meeting between US President Donald Trump, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Europe. Trump will push for such a meeting, Macron said at his summer residence in Bormes-les-Mimosas after a video conference between the Europeans and the US president."We would like this to take place in Europe, in a neutral country that is acceptable to all sides."

5:09 PM – Von der Leyen praises “very good phone call” with Trump

Following a virtual meeting of Ukraine's European allies with US President Donald Trump, the President of the European Commission spoke of a"very good phone call." "Today, Europe, the US, and NATO have strengthened the common ground for Ukraine," von der Leyen wrote on the online service Bluesky."No one wants peace more than we do, a just and lasting peace," she emphasized.

4:48 PM – Zelenskyy hopes for immediate ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes the upcoming Alaska summit will result in an immediate ceasefire and robust security guarantees for his country. He said this, according to a translation by the Chancellery in Berlin, after consultations with European heads of state and government and US President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine must be at the table in all negotiations concerning his country's future. Furthermore, Russia must not be granted a veto over Ukraine's accession to NATO.

4:26 PM – Merz: “There is hope for movement, there is hope for peace in Ukraine.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) views the upcoming meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska as an exchange in which"important decisions could be made." Merz said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Chancellery. The two had previously connected via video link with US President Donald Trump. They had a constructive conversation.

As Europeans, we are doing everything in our power to set the course in the right direction. We want Donald Trump to"succeed in Anchorage on Friday," Merz said. We have told Trump:"Fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must be safeguarded in Alaska." In this case, Trump can count on Europe's"full support."

After the talks on Friday, Trump will first inform Zelensky, then the European heads of government."There is hope for movement, there is hope for peace in Ukraine," Merz concluded.

He also made several demands on the outcome of the summit:

• Ukraine must be at the table if negotiations continue – so far, Russia has rejected this.
• Ukraine is ready to negotiate territorial issues. However, the so-called contact line must be the starting point. Russia had demanded that the Ukrainian army withdraw from areas in the Donbass that it continues to hold.
• Merz further stated that Kyiv needs"robust security guarantees," and the Ukrainian armed forces must also be allowed to defend their country.
• Negotiations must also be part of a common transatlantic strategy.
• There must be consequences if the meeting is unsuccessful:"If there is no movement on the Russian side in Alaska, then the United States and Europe must increase the pressure," Merz explained. Trump is aware of this position and shares it"to a large extent."

3:36 PM – Former Trump advisor warns against cutting off information flow to Kyiv

According to Trump's former National Security Advisor John Bolton, the Trump-Putin summit is tantamount to a"propaganda victory" for the Kremlin chief."An internationally ostracized head of state waging a war of aggression against Ukraine can now stand in the spotlight alongside the US president," Bolton said in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper published on Wednesday. Instead of a breakthrough in efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, a"new low" threatens.

According to Bolton, Trump sees the meeting with his Russian counterpart"as a building block for the long-awaited Nobel Peace Prize." Putin, in turn, wants to"bring Trump back to his side, avert the recent threats of sanctions, and repair the relationship." He also wants to convince Trump of his desire for peace without making any concessions. The decisive factor, however, is whether Washington also cuts off the flow of intelligence information to Kyiv."In the worst case, Trump can ensure that Ukraine loses the entire country," Bolton told Bild.

3:19 PM – US Treasury Secretary threatens tariffs if meeting does not “go well”

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is threatening Russia with sanctions or tariffs. These could be expanded if the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin does not go well, Bessent told Bloomberg TV. He also called on European heads of state and government to also pursue sanctions."He will make it clear to President Putin that all options are on the table," Bessent said, referring to the summit planned for Friday.

3 p.m. – Before Ukraine talks: Trump calls EU heads of state and government “great people”

Ahead of the Ukraine talks initiated by the German government, US President Donald Trump called the European leaders"great people." "Will be speaking with European leaders shortly," he wrote on his online service Truth Social."They are great people who want a deal."

2:26 p.m. – Video conference of EU-Ukraine supporters

A video conference of European Ukraine supporters with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President António Costa, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Zelenskyy is scheduled for 2 p.m. Following this, the European allies and the Ukrainian president will confer with Trump and US Vice President J.D. Vance at 3 p.m.

13:36 – Selenskyj sees no desire for peace in Moscow before the summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees no willingness on the part of Moscow to end the war in his country ahead of the US-Russia summit. Europe, the US, and Ukraine must force Russia to make peace, and more pressure is needed, Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

1:26 p.m. – Russia: Putin’s conditions unchanged

In the run-up to the Putin-Trump summit, Russia reaffirmed its claim to four Ukrainian regions. Russia's stance on ending the war remains consistent, according to Moscow Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Fadayev. At the time, Putin demanded the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four regions of the country that Russia claims as its own. Not all of them are fully controlled by Russian troops.

1:21 p.m. – Wagenknecht criticizes Selenskyj's visit

BSW head Sahra Wagenknecht criticized Zelensky's personal participation in the virtual Ukraine conference in Berlin. Wagenknecht demanded that the German government"not so obviously side with Zelensky." She accused the president of being uncompromising, arguing that this was losing support among the Ukrainian population, who, she said, wanted peace.

"The fact that Zelenskyy is sitting next to Merz in the Chancellery at the video summit has little to do with diplomacy," said Wagenknecht."The Chancellor is thus reducing his conference to absurdity, and Germany is definitively out of the running as a mediator."

1:10 p.m. – First pictures from the meeting

1:03 p.m. – “There is no hope” – Ukrainians and Russians pessimistic ahead of summit in Alaska

Expectations for the meeting between Trump and Putin on Friday are low – among both the Ukrainian and Russian populations. Trump boasted during his campaign that he would end the war"within 24 hours." But the three peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, which have taken place in Turkey so far, have failed, and Russia continues its attack with undiminished force.

Ukrainians are particularly bothered by the fact that their President Zelenskyy hasn't been invited to Alaska. Soldier Dmytro and many of his compatriots fear that Trump and Putin will negotiate an agreement over their heads that will force them to cede territory to Russia. But even if Kyiv were to agree to this,"it won't change anything," Dmytro fears."It might pause the war, but it will give Russia a chance to regroup"—and later attack again. In Moscow, Sergei, a 28-year-old auto parts dealer, says he's glad the two presidents are meeting."But the conflict is deadlocked; it definitely won't end now."

12:45 p.m. – Largest Russian territorial gain within 24 hours in a year

Russian forces have achieved their largest 24-hour territorial gain in Ukraine in more than a year. According to an analysis of data from the US Institute for the Study of War by the news agency AFP, the Russian army took or claimed control of an area of 110 square kilometers during the course of Tuesday—something that hadn't happened since the end of May 2024.

12:40 p.m. – Police surprised by Selensky meeting

The police only learned of the state visit at short notice."Everyone can imagine that this represents a truly mammoth task for the Berlin police, requiring a multitude of measures, given the short notice and the extreme danger posed by the state guest," said Stephan Weh, Berlin regional chairman of the Police Union (GdP). He called it a"super-disaster." However, given the"global political situation," the short notice was understandable.

The Ukrainian president, like heads of government from the US, Russia, and Israel, is subject to the highest level of security. Around 2,400 police officers were deployed during his visit in May. Special units with snipers were stationed in the government district, for example, on the roof of the Federal Chancellery. Police boats were deployed on the Spree River, and officers secured the area around the building on jet skis."There will be short-term closures for all types of vehicles and pedestrians throughout the entire parliamentary and government district," the police announced. However, according to the union,"everything available has been called into service."

12:33 pm – This is the schedule

2 p.m.: Merz plans to initially bring together Ukraine's close European allies in the Chancellery's Situation Center for a preliminary discussion of the follow-up consultations with Trump. Participating are the heads of state and government of France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, and Finland, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President António Costa, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Zelensky.

3 p.m.: Vance, the president's vice president, is also expected to participate in the planned video conference with Trump. Afterwards, the chancellor plans to discuss the results in the so-called Coalition of the Willing, led by Germany, France, and Great Britain. Merz plans to inform the public in a press conference after the conference with Trump.

4 p.m.: According to the German government, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will deliver a press statement together with Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The statement is scheduled for around 4 p.m., according to the Federal Chancellery's schedule.

11:46 a.m. – Russia calls consultations “insignificant”

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry has described the consultations demanded by Europe as"insignificant." Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeyev commented on Friday's planned talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two politicians planned to discuss"all the accumulated problems" in bilateral relations at their meeting in Alaska.

9:25 a.m. – Zelenskyy arrives in Berlin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will personally participate in the video conferences for the Alaska Summit on his country's future in Berlin today. He is expected in the capital at noon.

The calls with European heads of state and government were initiated by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). The goal is to find common ground with US President Donald Trump before he meets with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in the US state of Alaska on Friday.

The Europeans and Zelenskyy fear that Trump and Putin could agree in Alaska on Ukraine's territorial cession to Russia, which Kyiv strongly rejects. They likely want to obtain a commitment from Trump that he will not make a deal with Putin over the heads of the Ukrainians and the Europeans.

German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius stated that the talks should focus on further options for exerting pressure on Moscow. They would also discuss the preparation of possible peace negotiations and related issues of territorial claims and security. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated his call for security guarantees for Ukraine.