US President Donald Trump is planning a tripartite summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which could be held in Europe, as suggested by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday, despite the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against the Russian leader, according to reports from AFP via Agerpres.
After meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday, the US president announced his invitation to Zelensky at the White House on Monday to explore a negotiated resolution to the war in Ukraine. Depending on the outcomes of this gathering, a Trump-Putin-Zelensky tripartite summit will be arranged.
„I am confident (…) that such a tripartite meeting will take place,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated in an interview with German channels NTV and RTL on Saturday. „The specific date and venue are still to be confirmed (…) I have proposed Europe as a potential site. Perhaps this should serve as a permanent location for these discussions,” Merz added, refraining from specifying a city or country. „These are details that will be clarified in the upcoming days or possibly weeks,” he continued.
Hungary, Potential Venue for Trump-Putin-Zelensky Summit
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin in March 2023 regarding the „illegal” transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. Among European nations, Hungary withdrew from the ICC in April 2025, coinciding with the initial day of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Budapest, against whom the international court also issued an arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
The German chancellor confirmed the United States’ newfound willingness to collaborate with European countries in providing security guarantees to Ukraine should a peace initiative with Russia materialize. „The good news is that America is prepared to participate in such security guarantees, ensuring that this responsibility does not rest solely with the Europeans,” Friedrich Merz stated.
In light of the criticism aimed at Trump for insisting on an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine prior to the summit with Putin and later deeming a mere ceasefire no longer a feasible solution to halt the conflict, advocating instead for a direct peace agreement, the German chancellor remarked that should the trilateral summit occur and result in a peace deal, it „is worth more than a ceasefire.”
Moreover, the German chancellor, who was part of a phone conversation with other European leaders and Trump following the Alaska summit, revealed that in this discussion, the US president indicated that Russia appears more inclined to negotiate over the current frontline in Ukraine rather than the borders of the Ukrainian territories it claims. „This represents a significant difference, as Russia is claiming territories it has yet to seize,” Merz noted.
European Leaders Aim to Mitigate Tensions at Meeting
On a different point, the German chancellor asserted that the meeting Zelensky will attend at the White House on Monday will not pose the same challenges for the Ukrainian president as the one in February when the two publicly clashed in the Oval Office.
To avoid a recurrence of such a scenario, Merz mentioned that he and other European leaders would engage in a discussion with Zelensky on Sunday to adequately prepare him for the meeting with Trump. „We will provide some constructive advice,” the German chancellor assured.
In brief remarks to the press following the Alaska summit, which concluded without definitive results, Trump and Putin spoke generally of certain agreements without disclosing specific details. However, in an interview with Fox News, Trump mentioned that he discussed territorial exchanges with Putin, specifically referencing the potential cession of certain regions currently under Russian military occupation in Ukraine, along with security guarantees for Ukraine, stating that they „mostly agree.”
„I believe we are very close to an agreement,” Trump claimed. „It still requires Ukraine’s consent. They might say ‘no’,” the US president added, advising Zelensky, nonetheless, „to strike a deal.”
As per sources cited by Reuters, President Putin insisted at the summit with Trump that Ukraine must completely withdraw from the Donbas region (which includes Donetsk and Luhansk provinces) while Russia would stabilize the rest of the frontline. Sources close to the Ukrainian presidency report that Zelensky is still rejecting the cession of any territory and emphasizes a ceasefire, leaving it uncertain whether he will uphold these positions in the meeting with Trump.
