Zelenskiy heads to Berlin for online meeting with Trump, European leaders

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelled to Berlin on Wednesday for a German-hosted virtual meeting with Donald Trump and European leaders, two days before the U.S. president meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Trump has said the Alaska talks will be a "feel-out" meeting as he pursues a ceasefire in Moscow's war on Ukraine, having said last week, to consternation in Kyiv and Europe, that any deal would involve "some swapping of territories".

Zelenskiy will meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz before a video conference with the leaders of Germany, Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Poland and the European Union at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT), the hosts said. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will also attend.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance will join the call at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).

EUROPE AND KYIV FEAR UNPREDICTABLE ALASKA DEAL

The unpredictability of the summit in Alaska has fuelled Europeans' fears that the U.S. and Russia could take far-reaching decisions over their heads and even seek to coerce Ukraine into an unfavourable deal.

"We are focusing now to ensure that it does not happen - engaging with U.S. partners and staying coordinated and united on the European side. Still a lot of time until Friday," said one senior official from Eastern Europe.

European leaders, wary of angering Trump, have repeatedly said they welcome his efforts while stressing that there should be no deal about Ukraine - almost a fifth of which Russia has occupied - without Ukraine's participation.