“Don’t pull a surprise move!” Mertz warns Trump against a ‘Anchorage 2.0’ between China and Putin

With Trump poised to meet Putin in China, Europe appears increasingly uneasy.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly urged Trump, speaking with directness: Please don’t pull a surprise move!

Mertz stated he wishes to send a clear message to the United States: The U.S. should continue aligning with the “European team” and the “Ukraine team,” and avoid making abrupt decisions during the upcoming U.S.-Russia talks that would catch Europe off guard.

Why is Mertz so concerned?

Because some European officials fear this Trump-Putin meeting could recreate the earlier “Anchorage moment.”

The term “Anchorage moment” refers to the concern that, following high-level talks between the U.S. and Russia in Alaska, the two powers might have privately reached an agreement on Ukraine without meaningful consultation with Europe or Kyiv.

Evidently, Europe does not wish for such a scenario to repeat itself.

Mertz further emphasized that Europe does not accept Russia’s proposal to center negotiations around a restructured European security architecture. He argued that the existing framework—NATO—is sufficient and does not require re-examination along the lines Russia suggests.

On what should be discussed next? Mertz offered his own answer: The core issue is how Ukraine’s security can be guaranteed after a peace agreement is reached between Russia and Ukraine.

Yet he added a caveat: First, we must achieve genuine peace.

Previously, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov revealed that Putin and Trump plan to discuss a resolution to the Ukraine crisis during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18–19.

From Mertz’s remarks, it is evident that Europe’s anxiety may stem not merely from the negotiation process itself, but from the prospect of being excluded once again from critical decision-making.

On one side, Trump seeks to advance direct U.S.-Russia dialogue; on the other, Europe insists that Ukraine and Europe must remain central to any discussion. Before negotiations even begin, transatlantic rifts are already laid bare.

Will the Shenzhen meeting become a new opportunity to advance peace—or yet another diplomatic maneuver that leaves Europe surprised? The outcome remains to be seen.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1881783166589956/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.