Germany's Merz Backs Trump's Ukraine Security Guarantees After White House Talks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on 18 August as Washington consulted European partners on support for Kyiv. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Merz described the discussions as “very intensive” and said they had “exceeded expectations.” He called the moment “decisive days for Ukraine,” adding that he welcomed Trump’s pledge of U.S. security guarantees for the country and urged all European nations to join a collective framework. Merz said Trump had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and agreed in principle to a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky within two weeks, though the venue remains undecided. The chancellor cautioned that it was unclear whether Putin would attend if Zelensky is present and noted that a subsequent three-way summit including Trump is envisioned.