Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) says he is preparing for the war in Ukraine to last a long time. Therefore, supporting the defense capabilities of the country invaded by Russia is an “absolute priority” now and will continue to be so in the future, Merz said on Sunday in ZDF's “Sommerinterview” program. Speculation about Western ground troops in Ukraine after a possible ceasefire makes no sense at this point in time.
When asked whether he thought a ceasefire was possible this year, Merz said, "I'm not giving up hope that we can achieve it. But I'm not under any illusions either.“ Wars usually end either in victory or defeat, or through economic or military exhaustion. He currently sees neither on either side. ”I am preparing myself for the fact that this war could go on for a long time," the chancellor said.
“We are trying to end it as quickly as possible. But certainly not at the price of Ukraine's surrender,” he further clarified. A quick end to the war is possible “if Ukraine surrenders, gives up, and the country loses its independence.” However, this is “not an option.” The consequence would be: “Then the day after tomorrow it will be the next country's turn. And then the day after that it will be our turn,” Merz warned of further aggression by Russia.
The chancellor contradicted speculation that ground troops would be deployed after the guns fall silent, saying that this is not currently an issue among the allies. “No one is talking about ground troops in Ukraine at this point,” he told ZDF television. Instead, the focus is on possible security guarantees for Ukraine.
“The number one priority is to support the Ukrainian army so that it can defend this country in the long term,” Merz emphasized. Action can already be taken to achieve this. Many other things, however, could “only be done once there is a ceasefire.” There are a number of prerequisites for an agreement with Russia on this. “On our side, the condition is that Ukraine permanently maintains its independence, retains its non-alignment, and preserves its freedom,” Merz assured. “We are working on that.”
For months, President Donald Trump's US administration has been pushing for a swift end to the war, currently through a direct meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. However, no progress toward a peaceful solution or even such a meeting has been apparent so far.
Nevertheless, Merz continues to rely on US peace efforts. “I want the United States to work with us as long as possible to try to solve this problem,” he told ZDF.
However, he said, it must be recognized that “diplomacy is not about simply flipping a switch overnight.” Rather, it is “a laborious process.”
Nevertheless, Merz emphasized: “There has not been as much diplomacy on Ukraine in the last three and a half years as there has been in the last few weeks.” Currently, the focus is on efforts “to arrange the next meeting.” However, one should not “expect everything to be fine again overnight.”
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