Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) maintains that Europe must play a decisive role in discussions regarding a potential end to the war in Ukraine. Merz emphasized this position on Tuesday following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Chancellor’s office, stating, “Europe must and wants to play a role in this process.” He further argued that “central elements of a peace solution-whether concerning sanctions or the security architecture-can only be solved with us Europeans.”
Merz stressed that all involved parties are fully aware of this necessity. He then called on Russia, asserting that it is now time for Moscow to demonstrate a willingness to engage in “serious negotiations.” He vowed, “We will increase the pressure on Moscow until then and continue to support Ukraine with full strength.” Merz justified this stance by noting that it is also in the best interest of Europeans, explaining, “We are doing this because it is important for our safety, as well as for the political and peace order across Europe.”
