Merz calls for peace plan for Ukraine
Following a group phone call with other European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, Oct. 17, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Ukraine now requires a peace plan. The discussion was held to evaluate Zelensky's earlier meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
During the conversation among European leaders, Merz promised to increase support for Ukraine in order to “encourage Russia to engage in serious negotiations,” according to German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
Specifically, they plan to increase pressure on Moscow through sanctions and the use of frozen Russian state assets.
“Volodymyr Zelensky enjoys the full support of Germany and our European friends on his path to peace,” Cornelius quoted Merz as saying.
Zelensky spoke with European leaders immediately after meeting with Trump.
The Ukrainian leader held a group phone call with European politicians after his meeting with the US president and before speaking to reporters.
At the briefing, Zelensky mentioned that the conversation included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and the prime ministers of the UK, Italy, Norway, and Poland.
“I spoke about my conversation with US President Donald Trump. We discussed many important details. The most important thing now is to protect more lives, ensure security for Ukraine, and strengthen us all in Europe. This is precisely what we are working towards,” Zelensky later said on his Telegram channel regarding the conversation.
Germany already proposed to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses during a meeting of Kyiv’s allies in Paris on Sept. 4. A government official told AFP that the initiative would be part of broader security guarantees under discussion by a group of about 30 countries backing Kyiv.
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