German leader says peace cannot come at Ukraine’s expense

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday warned that the war in Ukraine could drag on and stressed that ending it at the cost of Kyiv’s sovereignty was not an option.

In an interview with German broadcaster ZDF, Merz said he had not lost hope for a ceasefire but “harbors no illusions,” insisting that Germany’s “absolute priority” was helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia.

“We are trying to end it as quickly as possible — but certainly not at the price of Ukraine’s capitulation. You could end the war tomorrow if Ukraine surrendered and lost its independence,” Merz said. “Then the next country would be at risk the day after tomorrow. And the day after that, it would be us. That is not an option.”

Germany has been one of Kyiv’s strongest backers, pledging or delivering about €40 billion ($47 billion) in military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.