Germany’s Merz wants ‘common’ European plan for peace in Ukraine as Trump looms

KYIV — Ukraine’s major European allies should forge an alliance aimed at agreeing on a “common vision” for peace in Ukraine, the leader of Germany’s conservative opposition, Friedrich Merz, said during a visit to Kyiv Monday.

Merz, who is in pole position to become Germany’s next chancellor ahead of a federal election in his country slated for Feb. 23, suggested European leaders, along with Ukraine, would need their own strategy for how to bring an end to the war given the impending arrival of Donald Trump in the White House.

“With the change of power in the U.S. there is a possibility we will have a new situation and we have to prepare for it,” said Merz in Kyiv. “We have to create a common strategy” within Europe.

Merz said he backs launching a new so-called contact group of Ukraine’s European allies who are able, if necessary, to act independently of the United States in coordinating a peace plan, and would include France, the United Kingdom and Poland.

Sitting across from Merz, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, voiced support for the German leader’s proposal, and suggested Denmark — a robust military backer of Ukraine — also join the new contact group. A dedicated grouping of Ukraine’s major European allies could work at finding “a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” said Zelenskyy.

As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House in January, there is uncertainty over the future of the Ukraine Defense Contract Group, a loose platform for more that 50 of Ukraine’s allies that discuss military support for Kyiv during regular meetings at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. That platform has been led by outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Trump has repeatedly said that he can end the war in Ukraine in a day once he assumes office. But many European leaders fear he will push terms that are anathema to the Ukrainians, including territorial concessions or a guarantee Ukraine will not join NATO.

Should he win the chancellery in Germany, Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union, may end up being a closer ally to Zelenskyy than the current German chancellor, Olaf Scholz. Merz has long promised to ramp up military support to Kyiv, including by donating long-range Taurus cruise missiles to the embattled country — a move Scholz has steadfastly refused despite Ukrainian pleas, citing the risk of escalation.

Zelenskyy was also highly critical of Scholz’s November phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that the conversation undermined efforts to isolate the Russian leader. Following the call, the Russian military escalated its attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.

Merz’s visit to Kyiv on Monday comes one week after Scholz made his own surprise trip to Kyiv, announcing a package of military aid worth €650 million.