BERLIN, Oct 19: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has issued a stark warning to Europe, urging it to “do much more” to end the war in Ukraine, following what he described as a disappointing White House meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump.
Merz said Zelensky’s meeting with Trump “did not go as hoped.”Speaking at a public event in Meschede, Merz warned,”Ukraine’s potential surrender would only invite new Russian attacks, possibly targeting Moldova or the Baltic states next.” He further accused the Kremlin of waging cyber warfare and disinformation campaigns across Europe. “President Vladimir Putin still dreams of reviving Soviet-era influence,” he said.
His remarks came after a late-night phone call with Zelensky, following the Ukrainian leader’s tense meeting with Trump in Washington.
Zelensky’s visit to the White House did not yield any concrete results. Speaking to reporters afterward, the Ukrainian president confirmed that long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, which Kyiv had urgently requested, were not forthcoming. “The visit was not what Zelenskyy would have wanted. I think I can say that here,” Merz told German broadcaster n-tv on Saturday. President Trump told Zelensky directly that the US would not currently provide Tomahawk missiles, citing concerns about escalation.
“Hopefully they won’t need it. Hopefully we’ll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks,” Trump said, calling the weapons “a big deal” and stressing that the US also needs them for its own defense. He cautioned that deploying Tomahawks in Ukraine could significantly escalate the conflict but added that discussions would continue.
Trump confirmed that he had recently spoken by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that the two leaders had agreed to meet in Budapest soon. He described the conversation as “very productive” and claimed Putin “wants to make a deal.”
When asked whether Zelensky would be involved in future talks, Trump acknowledged there was “bad blood” between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents. “We want to make it comfortable for everybody. We’ll be involved in threes, but it may be separated. The three leaders have to get together,” Trump said.
This was Trump’s first conversation with Putin since August, when a proposed summit in Alaska failed to produce a breakthrough.
Speaking after the White House meeting, Zelensky admitted Ukraine had not secured the missiles but remained pragmatic. “We have to stop where we are-he (Trump) is right. The next step is to talk,I am realistic,” Zelansky said, when asked if he was hopeful about receiving the Tomahawks in the future. Zelensky also hinted at a possible weapons trade, offering Ukrainian drones in exchange for US missiles,an idea that reportedly drew smiles from Trump. He later posted on X, saying he had briefed European leaders on the meeting and reiterated his priorities: “To protect as many lives as possible, guarantee security for Ukraine, and strengthen all of us in Europe.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed a follow-up call with Zelensky and other European leaders, describing it as “productive.” He reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to continue providing both humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, President Trump appears unwilling to further strain Washington-Moscow ties, a factor Trump referenced during their call. As Trump, during his meeting with Zelensky said, “he (Putin) wants to make a deal”. The situation leaves Ukraine in a difficult position, forced to await the outcome of the Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest before deciding on its next move. If the talks fail, Kyiv is expected to renew pressure on Trump to provide more weapons.
Still, Zelensky can take some encouragement from Moscow’s willingness to consider peace talks, which supports his long-held belief that Russia only negotiates under military pressure. (UNI)
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