Merz: The war in Ukraine will be prolonged and Russia will not stop without exhaustion or defeat

German advisor "Friedrich Merz said today, Sunday, that the ongoing war in Ukraine is likely to continue for a long time, as wars usually do not end except with military defeat or economic exhaustion, both of which do not show signs so far for either Kyiv or Moscow, according to what was reported by the German channel "ZDF".

Merz's statements come one day before the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart "Volodymyr Zelensky", in preparation for potential peace talks, where Trump threatened with "consequences" if the meeting does not take place.

In a joint stance, Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron held the Russian president responsible for the continuation of the crisis, calling on the United States to impose stricter sanctions on Moscow, in light of what they described as the Kremlin's obstinacy and refusal to engage seriously in peace efforts.

Merz said in the interview: "I prepare myself for this war to continue for a long time," emphasizing that any diplomatic solution cannot come at the expense of Ukraine's surrender, as that would encourage Russia to target other countries, adding: "And the day after tomorrow, we will be the targets.. this is not an option".

Merz refused to comment on the possibility of deploying German troops in Ukraine as part of future security arrangements, merely indicating that Berlin continues to support Kyiv politically and economically.

For its part, the Kremlin said today that European powers are obstructing the peace efforts being made by Trump, affirming that Russia will continue its military operations until it senses a real willingness from Kyiv to sit at the negotiation table.