German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, despite the beginning of the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, reiterated his declaration to end the conflict by force. He said Thursday is during the closed part of the talks with US president Donald Trump.
"The aim is clear – we want to end this war as shortly as possible. According to my individual conviction, which I expressed (in my conversation with Trump), this is only possible with the strength and readiness of Ukraine, which we inactive want and must support, to defend," he said after the gathering at the Oval Office. His speech was broadcast through the Phoenix tv channel.
At the same time, Mertz added that it was no coincidence that earlier in his conversation with Trump he mentioned landing in Normandy, whose coordination took place – like today's conversation – in the Oval Office.
"It is an intervention decision to end this war in Europe. But now (intervention – ed.) will not take place by military means. Political work for it was realized by Americans in 1944," he added.
The second circular of talks between Russia and Ukraine took place on 2 June in Turkey. The gathering lasted over an hr at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul. During the meeting, the parties exchanged memos on the resolution of the conflict. The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Miedinski, said after talks that Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange prisoners on a large scale: the sick and severely injured will be exchanged on a "all for all" basis, and prisoners under the age of 25 will besides be exchanged. The full replacement ceiling shall be at least 1000 people. Furthermore, the parties agreed to ceasefire in any areas so that the bodies of the dead could be collected. According to Miedinski, the Ukrainian side began to make this proposal, but only 2 hours later Volodymyr Zelenski publically rejected the alleged agreement.
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Merz repeats the claim of ending the conflict in Ukraine by force
