Merz: Meeting between Zelensky and Putin may take place by the end of August.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that a possible meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin may occur by the end of August. Hungary is being considered as a potential venue for negotiations. This was reported by Reuters.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that after a peace agreement is concluded, Ukraine may receive security guarantees from a number of countries, not limited to NATO members. The guests of the broadcast will be:

• Bogdan Popov, an expert from the analytical center 'United Ukraine.'
• Volodymyr Dubovik, Director of the Center for International Studies, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations at Odessa National University named after Mechnikov.
• Konstantin Matviyenko, political expert.
• Volodymyr Landa, economist, former advisor to the Minister of Economy.
• Vitaliy Voitsekhovskiy, people's deputy, 'Servant of the People', Member of the Temporary Special Commission of the Verkhovna Rada on the protection of property and non-property rights of internally displaced persons and others.
• Oleksandr Shulha, Doctor of Sociology, Head of the Institute of Conflictology and Russia Analysis.
• Yevhenia Ulyura, candidate of biological sciences, researcher at the Kyiv Zoo, coordinator of bat rehabilitation programs.

Friedrich Merz emphasized that Ukraine should not give up Donbas to Russia as part of any potential agreements. To illustrate this, he compared such a scenario to a hypothetical proposal to the United States to give up, say, Florida.

After the negotiations at the White House involving Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, and EU representatives, the German Chancellor was the first to address the press. Friedrich Merz outlined his own position regarding a potential meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky and emphasized the importance of a clear stance from Europe on this issue.

Friedrich Merz supported a possible meeting between Putin and Zelensky by the end of August and emphasized the importance of maintaining Ukraine's territorial integrity without conceding Donbas. The agreements should be based on Cossack wisdom, not on concessions, the German Chancellor noted.