German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that direct talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would not take place, casting doubt on US President Donald Trump’s claim of brokering a peace initiative.

"Unlike what had been agreed between President Trump and President Putin last week, when we were together in Washington, it is obviously not going to come to a meeting between President Zelensky and President Putin,” Merz told reporters ahead of a dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at Fort de Brégançon, Macron’s summer residence.

Earlier this month, Trump said he had arranged a summit between Putin and Zelensky after meeting European leaders at the White House. However, Moscow later played down expectations that such talks were imminent.

While Trump has promoted himself as a dealmaker capable of bringing peace to Ukraine, European leaders have privately voiced doubts over his approach. Merz’s statement marked one of the strongest public expressions of skepticism to date from a senior European official.

The German and French leaders used their meeting to project unity on support for Ukraine, even as they continue to grapple with differences on other issues. Macron has opposed an EU trade deal with the Mercosur bloc, while disagreements persist over defense investment and energy policy.

By presenting a united front on Ukraine, both leaders sought to reaffirm European resolve amid ongoing Russian aggression and uncertainty over Trump’s peace initiative.

Ukraine to unveil security guarantees framework

It is worth noting that Zelensky announced on Thursday that a framework outlining possible security guarantees for Kiev will be completed and unveiled in the coming days.

Following his August 18 meeting at the White House, Zelensky confirmed that progress is underway. "We talked a lot [with allies] about security guarantees. Now, national security advisers are working on developing each specific component. The entire framework will be on paper next week," he wrote on Telegram.

The matter was a key focus during Zelensky's talks with US President Donald Trump and several European leaders in Washington, discussions that were shaped by Trump's recent summit with Putin in Alaska, where potential solutions to the ongoing conflict were assessed.

The guarantees framework is expected to draw support from a European-led "coalition of the willing," with countries such as Britain and France preparing military and civilian commitments for post-ceasefire security arrangements. Turkey has also been mentioned as a potential partner in regional security, particularly in the Black Sea.