Germany’s Merz Warns Ukraine War May Persist Despite Peace Efforts
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a sobering assessment Sunday regarding prospects for resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, cautioning that hostilities may persist indefinitely despite diplomatic initiatives.
Speaking to public television, Merz reinforced his position that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains disinterested in peace talks, even as US President Donald Trump pursues war termination efforts.
"I'm not giving up hope that we can achieve this. But I'm also under no illusions," the conservative chancellor stated, noting that historical precedent suggests conflicts conclude through either decisive military victory or complete resource depletion.
"But I don't see that happening on either side at the moment, either. So I am preparing myself mentally for the fact that this war could go on for a long time. We are trying to end it as quickly as possible. But certainly not at the price of Ukraine's surrender," Merz declared.
Addressing Western security commitments and potential German military deployment to Ukraine under future peace frameworks, Merz emphasized that troop discussions remain secondary in ongoing diplomatic channels.
"We're currently trying to formulate security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire. And the number one priority is supporting the Ukrainian army so that they can defend their country in the long term. That's the absolute priority," Merz explained.
"Many things can only be implemented once there's a ceasefire. That requires an agreement with Russia, and this agreement will, of course, have conditions on both sides. On our side, the condition is that Ukraine permanently maintains its independence, its freedom, and its freedom to choose its own alliances," he elaborated.
Merz specified that Germany's Bundestag parliament would determine any security guarantee contributions, including peacekeeping forces or aerial defense systems.
"Nobody is talking about ground troops in Ukraine at this point. A Bundestag mandate, which I mentioned, applies to every military deployment abroad. And even if we were only to protect the airspace over Ukraine, we would need a Bundestag mandate for that," he concluded.
Speaking to public television, Merz reinforced his position that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains disinterested in peace talks, even as US President Donald Trump pursues war termination efforts.
"I'm not giving up hope that we can achieve this. But I'm also under no illusions," the conservative chancellor stated, noting that historical precedent suggests conflicts conclude through either decisive military victory or complete resource depletion.
"But I don't see that happening on either side at the moment, either. So I am preparing myself mentally for the fact that this war could go on for a long time. We are trying to end it as quickly as possible. But certainly not at the price of Ukraine's surrender," Merz declared.
Addressing Western security commitments and potential German military deployment to Ukraine under future peace frameworks, Merz emphasized that troop discussions remain secondary in ongoing diplomatic channels.
"We're currently trying to formulate security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire. And the number one priority is supporting the Ukrainian army so that they can defend their country in the long term. That's the absolute priority," Merz explained.
"Many things can only be implemented once there's a ceasefire. That requires an agreement with Russia, and this agreement will, of course, have conditions on both sides. On our side, the condition is that Ukraine permanently maintains its independence, its freedom, and its freedom to choose its own alliances," he elaborated.
Merz specified that Germany's Bundestag parliament would determine any security guarantee contributions, including peacekeeping forces or aerial defense systems.
"Nobody is talking about ground troops in Ukraine at this point. A Bundestag mandate, which I mentioned, applies to every military deployment abroad. And even if we were only to protect the airspace over Ukraine, we would need a Bundestag mandate for that," he concluded.
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