German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned on Friday that Russia’s war against Ukraine could drag on for “many more months,” despite recent U.S.-led diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in France, Merz said he had no “illusions” about a quick resolution to the war and reaffirmed Germany’s unwavering support for Kyiv.
“We will not abandon Ukraine,” Merz stressed.
The chancellor noted he was not “surprised” by the Kremlin’s continued delays in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempt to arrange direct talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“That is part of the Russian president’s strategy,” Merz said, adding that earlier this week it became clear that Putin was unwilling to meet Zelensky and had set “completely unacceptable preconditions.”
Merz also emphasized the importance of keeping Ukraine’s allies united within the so-called “coalition of the willing”, describing it as “one of our most urgent tasks.”
President Trump held a summit with Putin in Alaska on August 15, followed by meetings at the White House with Zelensky and European leaders. The U.S. president has given both sides a two-week deadline to demonstrate progress, after which he will decide on further steps.
