Friedrich Merz Urges Trump to Avoid Surprises in Putin Talks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged US President Donald Trump to avoid unilateral surprises during scheduled talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in China next week. Speaking in Dublin on November 13, Merz called for the United States to continue acting as part of "Team Europe" and "Team Ukraine" to prevent a diplomatic failure similar to the Anchorage summit.

These upcoming discussions follow preliminary meetings between US and Russian representatives in Abu Dhabi, with substantive peace negotiations expected to begin in the coming weeks. Merz explicitly rejected Russian demands to renegotiate the security architecture of Europe, asserting that NATO already provides the necessary framework for regional stability.

Parallel to these diplomatic efforts, Merz is pressing European Union leaders to secure long-term financial and military support for Ukraine within the bloc's current budget negotiations.