Germany's Merz says

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that the next step in negotiating the end of the Ukrainian war is “the ball is entirely in the Russian court.”

Speaking at a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Meers said Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to “accept negotiations and agree to the offer to ceasefire.”

Meles, who took office last week, traveled to Kiev last weekend with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire on Monday.

However, as the deadline passed, it was initially unclear how European leaders would proceed as it violated the possibility of further sanctions against Russia to force progress in a three-year-old conflict.

If no real progress is made this week, Germany will work with European partners to promote “severe sanctions tightening.”

The Kremlin responded to the final pass of the ceasefire, proposing direct negotiations with Turkey-Ukraine, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to say he will wait for Putin in Ankara on Thursday.

“Honestly, despite these most difficult situations, I also appreciate the courage of Vorodimir Zelensky to do this now,” said Melz.

“But it also shows his seriousness in his preparation for every effort to compromise and at the same time, to seize the opportunity of a ceasefire in Ukraine and subsequent peace negotiations.”

According to the new principal, forcing Ukraine to compromise further and more concessions is “no longer reasonable”.