A quick Russia-Ukraine peace deal may be 'worth more than a ceasefire': German Chancellor Merz

Berlin, Aug 16 (IANS) A quick peace deal between Russia and Ukraine may be "worth more than a ceasefire", German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

Merz said in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF on Saturday that after US President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin should be held "as soon as possible" to reach a peace agreement.

"If that works out, it's worth more than a ceasefire that could possibly last for weeks without further progress in political and diplomatic efforts," he added.

Merz said that it was "good news" that there were no territorial negotiations between Putin and Trump without Ukraine and the rest of Europe.

Europe will play a role in Trump's talks with Zelensky on Monday, he said.

A White House official told CNN that multiple European leaders have been invited to the talks.

However, "for the time being" Trump will still play the decisive role in the conflict, Merz said.

"The American President, who then also has the power, both militarily and via appropriate sanctions and tariffs, to ensure that Russia moves more than it is currently doing," he added.

The German leader also said that he is pleased that the US is ready to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine.

"Now there are security guarantees on the table," he said, "And the good news is that America is prepared to participate in such security guarantees and is not leaving it to the Europeans alone."

The German government and other European governments had insisted, ahead of the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska on Friday, that an immediate ceasefire must mark the beginning of a peace process in Ukraine.

Trump had also supported this position but abandoned it, as he made clear after the summit.

The Russian side was evidently not prepared for a ceasefire, Merz said.

He criticized Russia for continuing to attack Ukraine during the talks between Trump and Putin.

"I find that particularly disrespectful," he added.

Trump had briefed the most important European heads of state and government on Saturday morning about his conversation with Putin.

According to Merz, the discussions also touched on possible territorial concessions to Russia.

Russia appears willing to conduct negotiations along the current front lines rather than administrative borders, Merz told the broadcaster.

"That is a significant difference," the German Chancellor said.

Until now, Russia has been claiming territories it does not even militarily occupy.

In his talks with Putin, Trump did not question a single one of the five core points previously established by the Europeans and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Merz said.

"That is a good result," he added.

This means Trump and Putin did not discuss territorial issues over the heads of Ukraine and the Europeans.

--IANS

int/khz