Doha, 19 August 2025

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hav voiced their support for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the need for trilateral negotiations involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.

Speaking during high-level talks at the White House alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, both European leaders underscored that diplomatic credibility hinges on concrete progress, starting with a cessation of hostilities.

Chancellor Merz stated that a ceasefire should be the minimum outcome of the next diplomatic meeting and insisted that future discussions adopt a trilateral format.

Macron echoed this view, describing a truce as essential and calling the trilateral setup the only viable route to a sustainable resolution. Macron also proposed that the talks eventually expand into a broader format that includes additional European stakeholders to address continental security concerns.

President Trump, hosting the summit, signaled support for a ceasefire and noted that while one was not yet in place, discussions with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin were ongoing. Trump indicated he would contact Putin following the day's meetings and hinted at the possibility of U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a long-term peace framework.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed openness to trilateral talks, calling them a "very good signal" and thanking Trump for his direct involvement in peace efforts.

The Washington meeting included several prominent European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, reflecting a broader effort to coordinate international pressure for an end to the war.

The summit followed a recent meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, which ended without a formal agreement. While both leaders described their private discussions as "productive," former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute criticized the outcome, stating that Putin emerged with enhanced legitimacy while yielding no tangible concessions. Trump acknowledged that while progress had been made, no deal was finalized.

Putin, for his part, claimed that the talks created a foundation for future peace and reiterated Russia’s willingness to consider Ukraine’s security as part of a negotiated settlement. However, in general seen disappointing on the part of US President Trump failure in convincing Russian President Putin even for immediate ceasefire.

Despite the lack of a breakthrough, all parties signaled a willingness to continue diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.