Peace Talks Hinge on Putin, Says Merz

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during Wednesday's question period in the Bundestag that the future of the peace talks depends entirely on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. According to the Ukrinform news portal, he confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent an open letter to the Russian leader on 4 June, in which he officially invited him to a face-to-face meeting with the aim of ending the war.

The only condition set by the Ukrainian side was that the meeting not take place in Moscow but at any other neutral location in the world. Putin, however, publicly rejected the offer the very next day, stating that he currently saw no point in meeting with the Ukrainian leader.

The German chancellor noted that in recent weeks, Western allies have been intensively seeking ways to achieve a diplomatic resolution to the conflict and to strengthen support for Kyiv. Two and a half weeks ago, the leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom discussed these issues in London in the so-called E3 format.

At the G7 summit, the leaders, together with US President Donald Trump, adopted a joint statement calling on Russia to immediately cease its aggression.

Berlin's diplomatic efforts continue even now. Merz announced that on Wednesday evening he will welcome the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Poland and Italy to the German capital in an expanded E5 format.

(max)