During a conversation with journalists after a meeting with Donald Trump in Washington, Friedrich Merz critically assessed the state of the Russian economy after four years of war and called for Europe to be involved in the peace negotiations regarding Ukraine.
Four years of full-scale war against Ukraine have not gone unnoticed for Russia, believes Friedrich Merz. "The Russian economy has significantly weakened. The Russian armed forces have suffered unprecedented human losses. The Russian colossus stands today on clay feet," stated the Chancellor of Germany while speaking to journalists after talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, March 3.
In this context, Washington should increase pressure on Moscow to force Vladimir Putin to make concessions in peace negotiations, Merz pointed out. "Russia is stalling. And in doing so, it acts against the will of the American president. In today's negotiations, I called for increased pressure on Moscow," said the Chancellor.
In his estimation, the number of dead and wounded Russians in the war has exceeded 1 million people.
Merz on the Need for Europe's Involvement in Ukraine Negotiations
As the Chancellor noted, in his conversation with Trump, he made it clear that "Europe has significant doubts about Vladimir Putin's willingness to accept a peace agreement that would be equally acceptable to Ukraine and Europe."
Therefore, Europe needs to get involved in the peace negotiations taking place between the Russian Federation and Ukraine with the mediation of the United States, Merz emphasized. This thought, he said, he tried to convey to Trump.
"President Trump knows: only the peace that Europe is ready to support and recognize as legitimate will be lasting," stated the Chancellor of Germany. As Friedrich Merz clarified, Europeans want a solution to Russia's war against Ukraine to be found, but they will not accept an agreement that is made "over our heads," meaning without taking Europe's position into account.
