Berlin, Germany — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that Europe must have a decisive voice in negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, as US President Donald Trump renews efforts to secure a peace agreement.
Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin, Merz announced that Germany, France and the United Kingdom would jointly host a summit of the Coalition of the Willing in the German capital on November 19.
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“In two weeks, we will organize a Coalition of the Willing summit here in Berlin together with France and the United Kingdom,” Merz told reporters.
The summit is expected to bring together a broad group of international leaders to discuss long-term support for Ukraine in 2027, with particular emphasis on military assistance, security guarantees and diplomatic efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Merz said European countries remained committed to providing security guarantees to Ukraine following a potential ceasefire and would continue working towards a negotiated settlement.
“Our message to Russia is therefore: the time has come to end this war,” he said, suggesting that a localized ceasefire in Oleshky could serve as a model for broader arrangements, including an energy truce and a ceasefire in the Black Sea.
He was referring to a recent humanitarian arrangement in the Russian-occupied town in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, which reportedly enabled civilian evacuations and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to residents who chose to remain.
Merz accused Moscow of repeatedly rejecting ceasefire proposals and warned that continued Russian attacks in the Black Sea could further escalate the conflict. He also criticized Russia for contributing to global food insecurity, saying its actions were affecting some of the world’s poorest countries.
The German Chancellor welcomed the prospect of another round of peace negotiations, describing it as an important step forward. He referred to technical-level talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi under US mediation.
Merz thanked the United Arab Emirates for hosting the negotiations, describing them as the first trilateral round of discussions since February, when diplomatic efforts were interrupted by the US war in Iran.
However, he stressed that Russia must demonstrate a genuine willingness to negotiate a ceasefire and pursue a subsequent peace agreement.
“Europe must and wants to play a role in this process,” Merz declared.
“Key elements of a peaceful solution, whether regarding sanctions or the security architecture, can only be resolved with us Europeans. And everyone involved knows that very well.”
He added that Moscow must prove its readiness to engage in serious negotiations. Until then, Germany and its European partners would continue increasing pressure on Russia while maintaining strong military and political support for Ukraine.
Merz also highlighted the military exercise Koalicja2026, which is scheduled to begin this week and is linked to preparations for potential future security guarantees for Ukraine.
The manoeuvres will be centred in Poland, with activities also taking place in Romanian airspace and the western Black Sea. German troops, alongside military personnel from the United Kingdom, France and Poland, are expected to participate.
Berlin will also host the ninth German-Ukrainian Economic Forum on the day following the Coalition of the Willing summit, further underlining Germany’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with Kyiv.
“Germany, as Ukraine’s largest supporting partner, is taking exactly that responsibility. We are doing so because this war affects us directly. The outcome of this war will shape European security for a long time to come,” Merz said.
During the meeting, Zelenskyy also emphasized that decisions concerning Ukraine’s future membership in the European Union must involve European countries.
“The U.S. and Russia — with all due respect to the U.S. — cannot decide whether Ukraine will become a member state of the European Union,” Zelenskyy said. “For that we need the support of other countries, and all of those countries are in Europe.”
The Berlin meeting comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration to negotiate an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with US-mediated discussions between Moscow and Kyiv expected to resume in Abu Dhabi.
Merz’s remarks underline Germany’s position that any sustainable peace settlement must involve Europe, particularly on questions concerning Ukraine’s security, European sanctions and the continent’s future security architecture.
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