Merz says ceasefire talks in Ukraine could drag on for months
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine are at an early stage and could take months, despite the growing diplomatic momentum in recent weeks. He made the remarks at a briefing in Vilnius, according to Politico.
"We have no illusions. There is no quick fix. This is a process that has just begun and could take many more weeks, perhaps even months," Merz said.
Reaffirming Germany's continued military support for Ukraine, he said that Berlin is actively pushing for a diplomatic solution.
"We really do not miss any opportunity to reach a diplomatic solution here. But we know that we cannot achieve this in a short period of time," the German Chancellor stated.
He emphasized the importance of Western unity, saying that coordination with partners in the European Union and communication with U.S. lawmakers will remain central to German strategy.
- On May 21, 2025, Merz said that there are no signs that Russia's war against Ukraine will end anytime soon.
- On May 22, Merz's chief of staff said that Europe needs to consider much tougher sanctions against Russia, such as a ban on gas or uranium or the use of frozen Russian state assets, despite the fact that this could hit the EU itself.
