A White House official said Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump will take part in a virtual meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders on Wednesday, as he prepares to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The official confirmed Trump's participation in Wednesday's meeting on condition of anonymity, a day after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced he had invited the U.S. president, Zelenskyy and other European officials. The meeting will come just two days before Trump sits down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said Wednesday's virtual meeting will focus on "further options to exert pressure on Russia" and "preparations for possible peace negotiations and related questions regarding territorial claims and security guarantees."
The summit will feature multiple discussion formats with participation from the heads of state and government of Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Poland, the U.K. and Ukraine. The president of the European Commission, head of the European Council, NATO secretary general, and U.S. vice president are also expected to join the talks.
The White House earlier on Tuesday tempered expectations for this week's summit between Trump and Putin, describing the upcoming meeting as a "listening exercise" for the American leader.
