The war in Ukraine could drag on for a long time, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday, August 31, in an interview with broadcaster ZDF.
According to the head of the German government, wars end either with “the military defeat of one side,” which neither Moscow nor Kyiv is close to now, or through “economic and/or military exhaustion,” which he said is also not currently evident.
Merz emphasized that Europe and the United States are working to end the war “as soon as possible.” However, the fastest end would be possible “if Ukraine capitulated, surrendered and lost its independence,” but that is “not an option,” the chancellor said. In that scenario, the next country would come under threat, “and a few days later - we ourselves,” Merz warned.
Asked about the possible deployment of Western ground troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire, Merz said this is “not a main topic among Kyiv’s allies” right now. “Priority number one is supporting the Ukrainian army so it can defend its country over the long term,” he stressed.
“I want the United States to work with us for as long as possible to try to solve this problem,” the chancellor said, adding that diplomacy is a long and laborious process. Merz said there have not been as many diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine in the past three and a half years as in recent weeks. Work is now focused on preparing “the next meeting,” but “you can’t expect that overnight everything will be fine again,” the German leader said.
