German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday told a state party conference that Russia will only stop its war in Ukraine when it is unable to continue economically, and possibly militarily.

“All our efforts in recent weeks have been met with an even more aggressive approach by the Moscow regime against the people of Ukraine. And this will not stop until we have worked together to ensure that Russia can no longer continue this war, at least for economic reasons, perhaps also for military reasons, but in any case for economic reasons,” Merz said.

He stressed the importance of European unity in confronting the conflict, recalling recent discussions with EU leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

Merz also outlined Germany’s renewed leadership in defence policy and NATO. He said decisions to raise defence spending to 3.5% and invest an additional 1.5% in defence infrastructure had strengthened NATO’s European pillar.

“If Germany is prepared to take on a leadership role in Europe again, if Europe stands together, then we have a chance of being heard. Then we can assert our interests. We can defend our freedom and our security together,” he said.

Merz described foreign and European policy as inseparable from Germany’s domestic security.

He also noted the growing pressure on Russia as missile and drone attacks against Ukraine intensified in recent days.

On Friday in Toulon, France, Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron said that U.S. President Trump must respond to the cancelled meeting he had announced between Putin and Zelenskyy, highlighting that Russia had shown no desire for a peaceful solution.

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