Threat to Russia: Merz and Macron are calling for ceasefire

Chancellor Friedrich Merz and France President Macron have threatened Russia with far-reaching consequences if Moscow was to reject a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine War. During a visit to Kiev, Merz, Macron, the British Prime Minister Keir Strander and the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are strong for such a ceasefire to open a chance for peace negotiations. Merz announced a massive tightening of the sanctions if Russia should refuse.

Merz, Macron and Strandmer arrived in the morning by train in the Ukrainian capital, where they met with President Wolodymyr Selenskyj together with Tusk. Selenskyj greeted Merz on the Maidan with a long hug. The heads of state and government of the dead of the Russian war of aggression intended on the central independence. Then they came together for advice.

It is the first joint journey of the heads of state and government of the four major European allies in Ukraine to the war zone. Merz has only been in office since Tuesday. He had prepared the visit with a phone call to US President Donald Trump. The Europeans are now supporting its demand for a ceasefire of 30 days.

“We confirm our support for President Trump’s demand for a peace agreement. Russia is asked to no longer hinder the efforts to make permanent peace,” it said in a joint explanation that they published on their way to Kiev.

Trump has already threatened Russia new sanctions if the country of a ceasefire should refuse. In Kiev, Merz also promised far-reaching consequences if Moscow was to reject a 30-day break and subsequent peace negotiations. “There will then be a massive tightening of the sanctions and there will be massive help for Ukraine. Politically anyway, financial aid, but also military,” said the CDU leader of the “Bild”.

Macron wrote on the platform X: “A fair and permanent peace begins with a complete and unconditional ceasefire.” If Moscow further hells this, the pressure will be increased, “together, as a European and in close coordination with the United States”. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote: “The ball is now located with Russia.” The EU is ready to impose further sharp sanctions if a ceasefire is broken.

EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said in a statement: “We join Ukraine and the international partners, including the United States, and call for a complete, unconditional ceasefire of at least 30 days.” As in the past, it is now about Russia to show its willingness to create peace. Non-EU countries such as Moldova, Northern Macedonia and Norway also supported the explanation.

Moscow reacted calmly to new threats of sanctions. Russia will not be intimidated by this, Kremllagers Dmitri Peskow told state television in Moscow. You even imagine how to minimize the consequences. “To scare us with sanctions is in vain.” For a 30-day break, Moscow places conditions, including an end to western arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The United States and Europe now seem to be pulling together for the first time since Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine – at least in this one point. In the past few months, Trump had tried to end the war. So far he has been unsuccessful. Trump had massively put Selenskyj under pressure to make concessions to Putin. The Europeans, on the other hand, warned of a dictation peace.

In their explanation, the Europeans make it clear that a regional ability from Ukraine to Russia are out of the question for them. “Russia has to end its illegal war of aggression and Ukraine must be able to develop as a sovereign nation in its internationally recognized borders, even for future generations.”

They also ensure further military help to Ukraine to withstand the “ongoing barbaric and violent invasion of” Russia. “We will further expand our support for Ukraine. As long as Russia does not agree to a permanent ceasefire, we will further increase the pressure on Russia’s war machine.”

Merz had made his first phone call to US President Trump on Thursday. The Chancellor informed the American President about the joint explanation, and he was benevolent, it was then said from Merz ‘environment. Trump then tightened the tone towards the Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Truth portal and threatened to sanctions if Russia refused to rest.

Merz joined the threat of sanctions during his visit to Brussels on Friday. “The ball is now in Moscow, nowhere else,” he said. He added to the schedule for a ceasefire: “I have the great hope that there will be an appointment over this weekend for an armistice in Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian ambassador in Germany, Oleksii Makeieev, expects Merz to promise new arms of Ukraine when visiting. “I’m sure,” said the ambassador to a question in Kiev. He didn’t want to give details. The new federal government wants to keep German arms deliveries to Ukraine largely secret, as said on Friday evening from government circles.