The European leaders' call with US President Donald Trump ahead of his upcoming Alaska summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin set a sign of European unity, German government sources said on Wednesday.
The US side had repeatedly asked the Europeans in recent days what they expected from the negotiations in the city of Anchorage in the northernmost US state, they said following the call.
The Europeans succeeded in giving a joint, clear and concise response in their conversation with Trump and his Vice President JD Vance, they said.
It was agreed with Trump that he would promptly inform the Europeans after the meeting with Putin, the sources said.
Trump is expected to first inform Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and then the European core group, which includes Germany, on Friday night or on Saturday morning.
The German government intends to keep this European-Ukrainian group closely united to respond swiftly, unitedly, clearly and decisively to the outcome from Anchorage, they said.
The German government sources spoke positively about the appearance of US Vice President Vance, known as a critic of Europe, at an online meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing of close supporters of Ukraine following the conversation with Trump.
Around 20 leaders participated in this round, including those from Japan, Canada and Australia.
Vance summarized the US position very constructively and explained how interested they were in an honest statement from the Europeans about their sore points and negotiation lines - that is, that they did not want negotiations without the Europeans or Ukraine.
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