BRUSSELS (AP) — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the NATO secretary general and several European leaders to a virtual meeting Wednesday ahead of the Trump-Putin summit later this week.

The German chancellery said in a statement Monday that the talks would focus on “the current situation in Ukraine with a view to the planned meeting between U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin.”

It said the talks will focus on “further options for action to put pressure on Russia” as well as “preparations for possible peace negotiations and related issues of territorial claims and security.”

Europeans and Ukrainians so far are not invited to the summit Friday in Alaska.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earl

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