“Diplomatic means of resolving the Ukrainian conflict have been exhausted,” said Mertz

During discussions on the national budget in the Bundestag, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that diplomatic efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine have been exhausted.

“Diplomatic means [of resolution] are exhausted,” he said.

Merz also condemned Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory and assured that Berlin will continue to support Kyiv, “despite resistance from the left and pro-Russian right-wing factions” within Germany’s political landscape.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said back in mid-June that the war must be ended through diplomacy, sanctions, and security guarantees. He also noted that the conflict should be resolved before the end of Donald Trump’s presidential term, i.e., by 2029.