At a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Berlin, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin is intentionally holding up a meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky to end the war.

“Putin believes it is right to tie this meeting to preconditions that, from Ukraine’s perspective, and also from ours [and] from my personal point of view, are completely unacceptable,” said Merz.

After the meeting with Putin in Alaska and then in Washington with Zelensky and European partners earlier this month, US President Donald Trump has given the impression that he was close to brokering a peace solution, Merz said.

A meeting between Putin and Zelensky was due to follow within the next two weeks, but the deadline expires in a few days with little sign that a breakthrough is close.

Merz said the ball is now in Moscow’s court. “If the Russian side fails to take this step, then even more pressure will be needed.”

The European Union is already working on further sanctions, he said. “If a meeting like the one agreed between Trump and Putin does not take place, then the ball is back in our court.”

A trilateral meeting between Merz, Trump and Zelensky would be “the logical next step,” Merz said.

Carney also accused Putin of being afraid of a meeting with Zelensky.

He said Canada wants to help ensure peace and security in Ukraine, which is only possible through strength and sanctions against Russia.