Russian President Vladimir Putin must accept that he cannot successfully exit the war in Ukraine and that its continuation is hopeless, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
"We want this war to end as quickly as possible", Merz said in the lower house of parliament.
"But an agreement negotiated between the great powers without the consent of Ukraine and without the consent of the Europeans will not be the basis for a real, sustainable peace in Ukraine," he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that he was ready to offer the US-backed framework for ending the war with Russia and to discuss the contentious issues with US President Donald Trump in negotiations, which he said should also include European allies, Reuters recalls.
"Decisions on European issues can only be made by mutual consent", Merz said. "Ukraine is not a pawn, but a sovereign actor that defends its own interests and values."
The chancellor added that Germany would continue to support the Ukrainian people and would use frozen Russian assets for this purpose.
It will increase financial assistance to Ukraine to 11.5 billion euros in the 2026 budget, compared to 8.5 billion euros previously planned.