Germany’s Merz pushes Trump on Russia sanctions

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he urged U.S. President Donald Trump to step up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin during talks at the White House, as the war in Ukraine continues.

“Russia is playing for time,” Merz told reporters near the U.S. Capitol following the meeting. “In today’s talks, I called for increasing the pressure on Moscow,” News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Merz emphasized that Europe must be included in any potential peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine, warning against agreements made without European participation.

“We are not prepared to accept an agreement that is negotiated over our heads,” he said.

The German leader also reiterated that Ukraine should not be forced to make further territorial concessions and stressed the importance of continued Western support for Kyiv.

According to Merz, Trump said brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine remains “very high” on his list of priorities. The U.S. president also reportedly expressed confidence that Washington has sufficient munitions to manage multiple global commitments, including support for European partners backing Ukraine.

The meeting underscores ongoing transatlantic coordination — and tensions — as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict intensify.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada