{"id":49017,"date":"2025-05-13T11:39:26","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T15:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/ball-exclusively-in-russias-court-on-ukraine-says-germanys-merz\/13\/05\/2025\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T11:39:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T15:39:26","slug":"ball-exclusively-in-russias-court-on-ukraine-says-germanys-merz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/ball-exclusively-in-russias-court-on-ukraine-says-germanys-merz\/13\/05\/2025\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Ball exclusively in Russia&#8217;s court&#8217; on Ukraine, says Germany&#8217;s Merz"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday said that the &#8220;ball is exclusively in Russia&#8217;s court&#8221; when it comes to the next steps in negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Speaking during a press conference alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Berlin, Merz said it was up to Russian President Vladimir Putin to &#8220;accept the offer to negotiate and agree to a ceasefire.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Merz, who took office last week, travelled to Kiev last weekend together with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, where they called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But with that deadline now passed, it was initially unclear how the European leaders would proceed, having flouted the possibility of imposing further sanctions on Russia to force progress in the three-year-old conflict.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Merz said Germany would push for &#8220;the significant tightening of sanctions&#8221; in cooperation with European partners if no real progress was made this week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Kremlin responded to the ceasefire ultimatum by offering to hold direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey instead, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to say he would await Putin in Ankara on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;To be honest with you, I admire Volodymyr Zelensky&#8217;s courage to do this now despite these most difficult circumstances,&#8221; said Merz.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;But this also shows the seriousness and at the same time the willingness to compromise with which he is prepared to do everything in order to seize the opportunity for a ceasefire and subsequent peace talks in Ukraine.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Forcing Ukraine into further compromise and more concessions was &#8220;no longer reasonable,&#8221; according to the new chancellor.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following their talks at the German Chancellery. Michael Kappeler\/dpa<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following their talks at the German Chancellery. Michael Kappeler\/dpa\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"531\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/msUlye5o4TWCcOgBFAL6hg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzNw--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/dpa_international_526\/c491744bd88309385d0dfa6fe8cfb647\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following their talks at the German Chancellery. Michael Kappeler\/dpa<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following their talks at the German Chancellery. Michael Kappeler\/dpa\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ZllbQOMRBky6ws3gAwHt0g--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/dpa_international_526\/9a20656c526f760bd0685eaa79c07be6\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following their talks at the German Chancellery. Michael Kappeler\/dpa<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/ball-exclusively-russias-court-ukraine-142432003.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday said that the &ldquo;ball is exclusively in Russia&rsquo;s court&rdquo; when it comes to the next steps<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/ball-exclusively-in-russias-court-on-ukraine-says-germanys-merz\/13\/05\/2025\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/dpa_international_526\/0a263fb88c126eb234fd17cf1cfc111a","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49017"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49017"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49017\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}