The German chancellor Friedrich Mertz and the president of the United States, Donald Trumphad a 15-minute phone conversation in which they discussed the US peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.
According to media reports citing the press service of the German government, the details of the conversation between Friedrich Merz and Donald Trump were not disclosed, but it was noted that Washington’s proposed peace plan to end the Russian-Ukrainian war, following the US ultimatum to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was discussed.
The German government also said that Merz would inform European partners about the results of the conversation in the near future.
“I just discussed the plan for peace in Ukraine with the American president in a good and confidential telephone conversation.
We agreed on the next steps at a consultative level. I will now inform the European partners,” wrote the chancellor, Friedrich Merz.
I just discussed the plan for peace for Ukraine with @POTUS in a good and confidential phone call. We have agreed on the next steps at the advisors’ level. I will now brief the European partners.
— Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) November 21, 2025
Debate over the plan is expected to dominate the sidelines of this weekend’s G20 summit in Johannesburg, which will bring together the leaders of Europe’s most powerful countries, despite Donald Trump’s boycott of the summit, as the United States announced late Thursday that it would “not participate in the formal discussions” of the G20 in South Africa.
At the same time, Volodymyr Zelensky made a dramatic statement after the emergency meeting with the Europeans leaders on Donald Trump’s Ukraine peace plan.
“US peace efforts need support,” says Meloni
“During the discussion, the importance of supporting the ongoing negotiation efforts was underlined and the ultimate goal of achieving a just and lasting peace, in the interest of Europe as a whole, was reaffirmed,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said in a statement.
“The reference to strong security guarantees… was welcomed. Other elements of the plan were deemed worthy of further consideration,” the statement added.
Washington presented Kiev with a 28-point plan, which calls on Ukraine to cede territory, accept restrictions on its military and abandon its ambitions to join NATO.
The US proposal promises Ukraine “strong security guarantees” but does not specify what those might be.