The meeting followed a summit in London earlier this week attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of Britain, France and Germany. During the gathering, the three European countries expressed support for Kyiv’s proposal for direct talks with Moscow aimed at ending more than four years of conflict.

French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere described the discussions at Russia’s Foreign Ministry as constructive and told reporters that a joint statement would be released later in the day.

Russia, however, characterized the talks differently, saying the ambassadors were informed of what Moscow described as the “destructive” Ukraine policies of their governments. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused Britain, France and Germany of seeking to prolong the conflict at Europe’s expense.

The diplomatic contact comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a proposal by Zelensky this month for a face-to-face meeting intended to advance peace negotiations.

At the London summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz endorsed Zelensky’s initiative and said the current battlefield positions should serve as a starting point for future negotiations.

Western European diplomats have had limited direct engagement with Russian authorities since Moscow launched its full-scale offensive against Ukraine. Contacts have largely been confined to formal summonses and diplomatic exchanges through established channels.

The meeting also reflects growing discussion within parts of Europe about whether renewed dialogue with Moscow could help create conditions for ending the conflict, which remains Europe’s largest war since World War Two.

Efforts led by the United States to broker a settlement have so far failed to produce a breakthrough. Diplomatic attention has also been increasingly diverted by the conflict involving Iran, complicating international attempts to advance negotiations on Ukraine.

Russia has generally preferred discussing the war with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and has repeatedly signaled opposition to a larger European role in any future settlement process.

Britain, France and Germany remain among Ukraine’s principal military, financial and diplomatic supporters and have consistently backed Kyiv throughout the conflict.

Under the proposal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would attend EU summits without voting rights, while Kyiv would also receive representation within the European Commission and non-voting seats in the European Parliament during the accession process.

The initiative, first discussed by Merz with European leaders last month, was outlined in a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.
“It is obvious that we will not be able to complete the accession process shortly, given the countless hurdles as well as the political complexities of ratification processes,” Merz wrote.

“What I envisage is a political solution that brings Ukraine substantially closer to the European Union and its core institutions immediately,” he added.
The German proposal would also extend the EU’s mutual assistance clause to Ukraine and provide Kyiv access to selected areas of the bloc’s budget framework, deepening institutional ties as the country continues to battle Russia’s invasion.

Ukraine has accelerated its push for EU membership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, framing accession as central to its long-term economic recovery, political stability and security architecture.
Kyiv’s membership drive had faced persistent resistance from Hungary under former nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose government repeatedly delayed progress on accession negotiations.

His replacement by political rival Peter Magyar has raised expectations among EU officials that talks could regain momentum.

Despite that shift, Merz acknowledged that full accession remained politically and procedurally distant because EU enlargement requires unanimous approval among member states and ratification through national processes.

The proposal may encounter reservations both inside the EU and in Kyiv, where officials have expressed concern that interim arrangements could dilute or indefinitely postpone full membership ambitions.
Merz sought to address those concerns directly, insisting the initiative was not intended to replace eventual accession.

“It would not be a membership light,” he wrote, while urging EU leaders to open “all negotiation clusters” with Ukraine immediately.

Ukraine’s pursuit of deeper European integration has intensified as prospects for NATO membership remain uncertain following continued opposition from the United States to Kyiv joining the military alliance in the near term.

The move follows a diplomatic clash between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who questioned Washington’s strategy in the two-month-old conflict with Iran and said this week that he saw no clear U.S. exit plan. Merz also said Iran was humiliating the United States in negotiations to end the war.

A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration viewed the German leader’s remarks as “inappropriate and unhelpful,” adding that Trump was “rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks.”Germany hosts about 35,000 active-duty U.S. military personnel, more than any other country in Europe, making it a central hub for American operations on the continent and in the Middle East.

The Pentagon said the drawdown would reduce U.S. troop levels in Europe to roughly their pre-2022 level, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted the administration of former President Joe Biden to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.

The official said the decision also reflected the Trump administration’s broader push for Europe to take primary responsibility for its own defense, a long-standing demand by the president toward NATO allies he believes rely too heavily on U.S. military protection.Reuters reported last week that an internal Pentagon email outlined options to penalize NATO allies seen as failing to support U.S. operations during the Iran conflict.

Those options reportedly included suspending Spain from NATO and reviewing Washington’s stance on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands.Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies for not deploying naval support to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil supplies that has faced severe disruption during the conflict.

The near closure of the waterway has contributed to market volatility and major supply concerns across global energy markets.German officials, however, said Berlin had provided significant logistical support, including authorizing the use of U.S. military bases and overflight permissions for operations linked to the conflict.

Germany also hosts the major U.S. military hospital at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a critical medical hub for American forces overseas.As part of the drawdown, a brigade combat team currently stationed in Germany will be withdrawn, and a long-range fires battalion planned for deployment later this year under the Biden administration will no longer be sent, the Pentagon official said.

Trump had sought a similar troop reduction during the final months of his first term, but the plan was never implemented after he lost the 2020 election and Biden reversed the proposal.Germany’s military officials told Reuters they were surprised by Trump’s latest announcement, saying meetings at the Pentagon earlier this week had been constructive.

Trump this week sharply criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, calling him “totally ineffective” after Merz questioned the U.S. approach to the Iran conflict and said Washington lacked a clear exit strategy. On Friday, the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany and confirmed higher tariffs on European Union cars and trucks, a move expected to hit Germany’s export-heavy economy particularly hard.

The administration has also turned its focus toward Britain, with Trump describing Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “not Winston Churchill” and threatening major tariffs on British imports, further widening tensions with traditional U.S. allies.European diplomats described the atmosphere as increasingly unpredictable.

“It’s unnerving to say the least,” one diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We are braced for anything, anytime.”The friction has been aggravated by Washington’s push for stronger allied backing in the Iran war, particularly around securing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route disrupted by the conflict.

Trump has accused European governments of failing to provide adequate military support for U.S. operations that he argues protect broader Western interests.Reuters reported last week that the Pentagon had internally discussed punitive options for NATO members viewed as unsupportive, including suspending Spain from NATO and reviewing U.S. recognition of British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

Some European officials said they were adapting to Trump’s confrontational style. One diplomat pointed to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel as a model for managing relations with Trump during his first term.“You must not react immediately, you must let the storm pass, while standing firmly on your positions,” the diplomat said, adding that attempts at personal flattery had also failed to prevent criticism.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, once viewed as one of Trump’s closest European political allies, also faced criticism after she publicly opposed the Iran war and condemned what she called Trump’s “unacceptable” remarks about Pope Leo.Even NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, often seen in Europe as skilled at managing Trump, was reportedly rebuked during a recent White House meeting.

Within the Republican Party, Trump’s hardline stance has drawn some resistance. Representative Don Bacon said repeated attacks on NATO partners were damaging U.S. interests.

“The continued attacks on NATO allies are counterproductive, the comments hurt Americans,” Bacon wrote on X, noting that U.S. air bases in Germany remain strategically important for operations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.German military officials were reportedly surprised by Trump’s announcement on troop reductions, especially after what they described as constructive Pentagon meetings earlier this week.

General Carsten Breuer, Germany’s top military officer, had indicated he received positive support for Berlin’s updated defense strategy during talks in Washington.Analysts say the political mood in Europe is shifting, with leaders becoming more willing to publicly challenge Washington as domestic pressure rises over the economic and security fallout of the Iran war, including rising energy costs and trade disruptions.

Jeffrey Rathke of the American-German Institute at Johns Hopkins University said Chancellor Merz’s sharper tone reflected a broader recalibration.“It’s pretty clear that something has changed,” Rathke said, noting that European governments increasingly believe they can no longer rely on the post-World War II security framework without significantly expanding their own military capabilities.

Trump made the remarks in a social media post after Merz said earlier this week that the United States was being “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership and questioned Washington’s strategy in the conflict, which has entered its third month and has disrupted global energy flows.

“The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,” Trump wrote.The threat marked the latest strain in relations between Washington and Berlin as Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for refusing to support the U.S. military campaign against Iran, while European leaders have raised concerns over the economic consequences of prolonged instability in the Gulf.

Merz said on Wednesday that his personal relationship with Trump remained “as good as ever,” but added that he had “had doubts from the very beginning about what was started there with the war in Iran.”Speaking hours before Trump’s post, Merz said Germany and Europe were facing significant economic pressure from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping route through which around one-fifth of global oil supply had moved before the conflict began on Feb. 28.

“We are suffering considerably in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of, for example, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Merz said. “And in that regard, I urge that this conflict be resolved.”The waterway has remained effectively shut since hostilities intensified, adding to volatility in global energy markets and raising fears of wider supply disruptions across Europe and Asia.

Merz, who met Trump at the White House in March shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched bombardments against Iran, had then said Germany was prepared to work with Washington on a strategy for a post-conflict regional order if Iran’s current government were to fall.

He also warned that an extended war could inflict serious damage on the global economy.

Trump, however, has openly attacked the German chancellor in recent days. On Tuesday, he said Merz wrongly believed Iran should be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon and wrote that the German leader “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“It’s no surprise that Germany is doing so poorly, both economically and in other respects,” Trump added.The dispute has revived memories of Trump’s first term, when he sought to withdraw about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U.S. troops then stationed in Germany, arguing Berlin was failing to spend enough on defense. That plan was announced in 2020 but never implemented, and former President Joe Biden formally halted it after taking office in 2021.

Germany hosts several major U.S. military installations, including the headquarters of U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American military hospital outside the United States.

Merz said his government remained “on good speaking terms” with the Trump administration despite the latest dispute.

In a telephone conversation, Merz also voiced “grave concern” over developments in the Palestinian territories and stressed that there must be no “de facto partial annexation” of the West Bank, according to a government spokesperson.

The call comes amid escalating tensions following the conflict launched on February 28 by Israel and the United States against Iran, which has increasingly threatened to expand into a broader regional war. German officials said Merz reiterated Berlin’s support for diplomatic efforts aimed at securing an understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Merz, who had initially backed the U.S.-Israeli military action, has shifted his stance as economic risks and security concerns intensify, including Iranian retaliatory strikes and disruptions to global energy flows.

He also indicated that Germany could contribute to ensuring maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route, but only after hostilities cease and necessary conditions are in place.Shipping through the strait, which previously accounted for roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies, has been significantly disrupted amid Iranian threats targeting commercial vessels.

The situation has been further complicated by a partial naval blockade declared by U.S. President Donald Trump following stalled negotiations with Iran.

Al-Sharaa met Starmer at 10 Downing Street, marking the first visit by a Syrian head of state to London since former president Bashar Assad traveled to the UK in 2002.According to a Downing Street spokesperson, discussions covered migration returns, border security and efforts to combat people-smuggling networks.

Starmer also welcomed steps taken by Damascus against Daesh, citing progress in counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.The talks also addressed broader regional stability concerns alongside economic cooperation.

The visit comes as Syria seeks foreign investment to rebuild infrastructure damaged during years of civil war. Al-Sharaa is expected to hold further meetings with senior British officials during his stay.

He was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani and Economy Minister Nidal Al-Shaar.European outreach continuesAl-Sharaa arrived in London following a visit to Germany, where he met Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as part of a broader diplomatic push to re-engage European partners.

No specific agreements were announced following the London meeting.

Speaking alongside Syrian transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Berlin, Merz said both governments were seeking to create conditions that would allow more Syrians to return voluntarily to their homeland.

Germany hosts the largest Syrian diaspora in the European Union, with more than one million Syrians, many of whom arrived during the 2015–2016 migrant influx.“We are working jointly toward more Syrians being able to return to their homeland,” Merz said at a joint press conference.

Sharaa said Damascus and Berlin were exploring a “circular” migration framework that would allow Syrians to participate in rebuilding their country while retaining the option to remain in Germany.

Such a model would enable returnees to contribute to reconstruction efforts without permanently relinquishing the economic and social stability they have established abroad, he said.

Merz said Germany intended to support Syria’s reconstruction after years of civil war, adding that a German delegation would travel to Syria in the coming days to advance cooperation.

However, he stressed that deeper bilateral engagement would depend on progress toward establishing rule-of-law institutions.

“Many joint projects in the future will depend on our finding a state governed by the rule of law,” Merz said, adding that he was confident such conditions could be achieved following discussions with Sharaa.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told lawmakers in Berlin that while Iran must not threaten regional stability, Washington had failed to present a credible plan or request European participation. “To this day, there is no convincing plan for how this operation could succeed,” he said, adding that the United States had neither coordinated with allies nor outlined the necessity of their involvement.

His defense minister, Boris Pistorius, struck a similarly firm tone earlier in the week, stating, “This is not our war, we have not started it,” underscoring Berlin’s reluctance to be drawn into a widening confrontation linked to U.S. and Israeli actions.

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed Germany’s position, saying Paris was not a party to the conflict, reflecting broader unease among European capitals about both the rationale and execution of the U.S. initiative.

The near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy shipments, has heightened economic concerns, placing pressure on governments to respond to rising risks to trade and supply chains. However, European leaders have signaled that any response must be coordinated, measured, and grounded in clear strategic objectives.

Merz, who has long advocated strong transatlantic ties, adopted notably direct language, highlighting a shift in tone among U.S. allies faced with what they perceive as unilateral decision-making in Washington.

Despite differing national interests, European leaders have sought to maintain a unified front, prioritizing diplomatic coherence while managing relations with an unpredictable U.S. administration.

Officials across the region have emphasized the importance of avoiding escalation, even as they acknowledge the broader security implications of instability in the Gulf. Their stance suggests a recalibration of transatlantic dynamics, with greater emphasis on consultation and multilateral engagement.

The divergence comes at a time when global markets remain sensitive to disruptions in energy flows, and policymakers weigh the risks of deeper military entanglement against economic and security considerations.

The announcement marks a shift toward optimism and collaboration, emphasizing peace, stability, and shared responsibility between both nations.

Merz acknowledged Germany’s long-standing humanitarian role during the Syrian civil war, when the country opened its doors to over one million refugees fleeing violence.

He praised the resilience and contributions of the Syrian community in Germany, recognizing their vital role in enriching German society, culture, and the economy over the past decade.

The chancellor’s message was framed around unity, opportunity, and the importance of rebuilding a peaceful Syria.

He expressed hope that many Syrians would voluntarily return home once conditions stabilize, bringing valuable skills and education that can strengthen their nation’s social and economic foundation.

Germany’s new focus is not on deportation but on creating pathways for safe, voluntary, and sustainable repatriation.

Officials emphasized that every decision will be guided by humanitarian principles, respect for international law, and coordination with global organizations to ensure the protection of human rights.

Merz noted that Syria’s transition from conflict to reconstruction presents a chance for healing and renewal.

He stressed that Germany stands ready to support this process through partnerships in infrastructure, education, and humanitarian assistance, helping to restore essential services and opportunities in Syrian communities.

The German government aims to work closely with the European Union, the United Nations, and Syrian authorities to build frameworks that encourage voluntary returns while ensuring safety and dignity for all participants.

This coordinated approach underlines Germany’s commitment to stability, peacebuilding, and mutual cooperation in the post-war phase.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, during his recent visit to Syria, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to humanitarian aid and development.

He emphasized that long-term peace will depend on social inclusion, reconstruction of local economies, and the reintegration of returning citizens into safe and productive environments.

German policymakers view this as an opportunity to transform the narrative on migration — from crisis to cooperation.

By empowering Syrians to rebuild their homeland, Germany seeks to create conditions for sustainable peace while continuing to support refugees who remain vulnerable or unable to return.

Community leaders and advocacy groups have welcomed the government’s renewed emphasis on voluntary repatriation and reconstruction.

They stress the importance of ensuring that any return process is based on individual choice, transparent communication, and adequate support for families transitioning back to life in Syria.

At the same time, Germany remains firm in its commitment to counter extremism, uphold security, and strengthen integration programs for those who stay.

Officials continue to highlight the achievements of Syrian professionals, students, and entrepreneurs in Germany who have become symbols of determination and coexistence.

The policy discussion also aims to balance compassion with responsibility, ensuring that humanitarian values remain central to migration and foreign policy.

Experts believe that successful reintegration of returning Syrians can contribute to regional stability, economic growth, and cultural exchange between Europe and the Middle East.Germany’s message is one of partnership, optimism, and renewal.

The government envisions a future where Syria stands as a stable, self-sufficient nation that maintains strong ties with Europe, particularly in education, trade, and innovation.

This vision aligns with Germany’s broader goal of promoting peace and unity through cooperation and shared development.

Chancellor Merz concluded his remarks with a hopeful tone, emphasizing that rebuilding Syria requires global support and the courage of its people.

Germany, he said, will continue to stand by the Syrian community, both at home and abroad, to ensure that peace, opportunity, and dignity become lasting realities for all.