Europe will not agree to a peace deal on Ukraine that is concluded without its participation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this after meeting U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on March 3.
According to Merz, during the talks in Washington he told the American president directly that European countries are not ready to accept agreements on ending the war that are negotiated without their involvement.
“We are not ready to accept an agreement that is negotiated over our heads. Only a peace supported and legitimized by Europe can truly be lasting,” the chancellor said.
He also stressed that negotiations on ending the war should be expanded to include the United States, Ukraine, Russia and European partners.
Merz added that Europe plays a key role in ensuring Ukraine’s security, its reconstruction and further European integration, which makes its participation in the peace process essential. The chancellor also expressed doubts that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to agree to a peace deal acceptable to both Ukraine and Europe and called for increasing pressure on Moscow.