German Chancellor says Ukraine’s capitulation is not an option
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on 21 October that Germany supports Ukraine to end the war as quickly as possible, not to prolong it, and that Ukraine’s capitulation is unacceptable. He described Russian disinformation and hybrid attacks as major security threats and said Germany and other European countries remain ready for negotiations.
أبرز النقاط
- Friedrich Merz said Ukraine’s capitulation, including unconditional capitulation, is not an option.
- Merz said Germany supports Ukraine to end the war as quickly as possible.
- He linked Germany’s continued assistance to Ukraine to German security interests.
- Germany and other European countries remain ready for negotiations at any time, Merz said.
- Merz identified Russian disinformation and hybrid attacks as major threats to Germany’s security.
- Talks in Oslo on 20 October addressed ending the war, security guarantees for Ukraine, territorial issues and sanctions.
- After the Oslo talks, Steve Witkoff travelled to Russia to continue negotiations.
لماذا يهمّ ذلك
Merz’s statements reaffirm Germany’s support for Ukraine while rejecting a negotiated outcome involving Ukraine’s capitulation. He also connected assistance to Ukraine with Germany’s own security and framed Russian hybrid activity as a broader threat to European stability.
ماذا حدث
On 21 October, Friedrich Merz said during a discussion at the Berlin Global Dialogue forum that Germany supports Ukraine to bring the war to an end as quickly as possible. He rejected capitulation as an option and said Germany and other European countries remain ready for negotiations. Merz also accused Russia of threatening the political order established in Europe after the Cold War and described disinformation, sabotage, attacks on communications systems and other hybrid operations as continuing security threats. He reported some progress in talks held in Oslo on 20 October involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The talks covered ways to end the war, security guarantees, territorial questions and sanctions; Witkoff then travelled to Russia.
كيف تصفه المصادر الأوكرانية
Ukrainian coverage emphasised Merz’s rejection of capitulation and Germany’s continued support for Ukraine. Ukrainian reports also highlighted Volodymyr Zelensky’s criticism that Washington was pressuring Kyiv toward capitulation and delaying deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles, including his statement that Ukraine had paid for part of the weapons under the PURL programme.
كيف تصفه المصادر الدولية
The international framing presents Germany’s position as combining support for Ukraine and readiness for negotiations with a broader warning that Russian aggression and hybrid activity threaten European security beyond the war itself.
الخلفية
The Oslo negotiations on 20 October involved Zelensky, Witkoff, Gahr Støre and Stubb and addressed the end of the war, security guarantees for Ukraine, territorial issues and sanctions. Kaja Kallas said American negotiators had sought to push Ukraine toward capitulation on Vladimir Putin’s terms for a year and a half, while European support had prevented surrender. Zelensky said the United States was supplying about 12 Patriot interceptor missiles per month and was delaying deliveries.