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The EU and UK should not overestimate their influence on the settlement of the Ukraine conflict as the US will continue to play the leading role in the peace process with Russia, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, met in Alaska on Friday for their first face-to-face encounter since 2018. Possible ways to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine topped the agenda during the negotiations. Trump then held a phone call with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and the leaders of several Western European countries which are backing Kiev, including Merz, to inform them about his discussions with Putin.

The German chancellor told broadcaster ZDF on Saturday that “the talks have begun” on settling the Ukraine conflict, which escalated in February 2022.

“They will continue on Monday [when Zelensky is expected to arrive in Washington for a meeting with Trump], and of course, the Europeans will play a role,” he said.

However, Merz warned that Western Europe “must not overestimate ourselves. European unity is important, but the decisive role in this war will continue to be played by the US.”

Trump “has the power, both militarily and with appropriate sanctions, to influence Russia,” he claimed.

The “good news” that came from the Alaska summit is that “there are no territorial negotiations between Putin and Trump over the heads of Ukraine and the Europeans,” the chancellor added.

In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Trump insisted that Zelensky should “make the deal,” stressing that Putin “wants to see it done” and urging Western Europe to “get involved a little bit.”

Putin reiterated on Saturday that the elimination of the root causes of the crisis is key to the settlement of the conflict. According to Moscow, in order for lasting peace to be achieved, Ukraine should renounce its ambitions for NATO membership, demilitarize, and recognize the current territorial realities.