Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday reaffirmed his government's rejection of any attempt to impose a peace agreement on Ukraine, especially one that includes territorial concessions to Russia. Merz emphasized that only Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have the right to decide on such matters, adding that this position was also conveyed to U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Merz addressed a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, where he highlighted Ukraine's response to the recent U.S. peace proposal. The response from Ukraine included its own views on potential territorial concessions to Russia. Merz noted that he, along with French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, proposed additional consultations with President Trump this weekend to discuss the U.S. plan and Kyiv's reply.
The United States had presented its peace proposal three weeks ago. Ukraine, after coordinating with its European partners, requested adjustments to the proposal, particularly concerning security guarantees. President Zelenskyy, following discussions with leaders from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, sent his suggested amendments to Washington on Wednesday.
Merz also confirmed the future deployment of medium-range weapons on German territory by the United States, stating he sees no reason to delay the implementation of the agreement reached with Washington and NATO allies. Rutte added that the U.S. remains committed to deploying the agreed weapons starting in 2026, which will include Tomahawk missiles with a range of up to 2,500 km and SM-6 systems.
In July 2024, Germany and the United States signed an agreement to allow the deployment of U.S. medium-range missiles and other systems on German soil, further strengthening their defense collaboration.