Berlin – Reuters

German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz said on Sunday that he expects the war in Ukraine to last a long time, as wars usually end with a military defeat or economic exhaustion, both of which show no signs so far for either Kyiv or Moscow.

Mertz’s comments come a day before the deadline set by US President Donald Trump for a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine as a prelude to peace talks. Trump threatened “consequences” if the meeting did not take place.

Long War

Mertz and French President Emmanuel Macron pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin as responsible for the crisis, urging the United States to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow. Mertz told ZDF TV in an interview, “I prepare myself for this war to continue for a long time.”

He added that there are efforts through intensive diplomatic initiatives to end the war as soon as possible, but this cannot happen “at the expense of Ukraine’s surrender” because Russia would then simply target another country. He continued, “The day after tomorrow, we will be the target… that is not an option.”

Mertz refrained from discussing the possibility of deploying German troops in Ukraine as part of security guarantees if a peace agreement is reached.

The Kremlin said today that European powers are obstructing peace efforts led by Trump, and that Russia will continue its operations in Ukraine until it sees real signs of Kyiv’s readiness for peace.