Merz: Should Putin and Zelensky Fail to Meet, the EU Will Impose New Sanctions on Russia

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed the Western nations' readiness to escalate pressure on Russia through the implementation of additional sanctions, should the anticipated meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fail to take place, according to TASS.

During a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Berlin, Merz conveyed the view that "the ball is now in Moscow’s court."

"If such a step does not come from Russia, then it will be necessary to intensify the pressure," he asserted. "In anticipation of this, we in the European Union are working on new sanctions. The American president has also hinted at the possibility of imposing further punitive measures," the Chancellor added.

Merz further recalled that former President Trump had proposed, in such a scenario, to hold trilateral negotiations—namely, talks involving himself, Putin, and Zelensky.

"This would then seem to be the logical next step," Merz concluded.