Merz calls for European funding for Ukraine for 2027

Clear expectations from Friedrich Merz: Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on European partners to close Ukraine's financial gap by 2027. “It goes without saying to me that this is a common European task,” he said before the start of the meeting of the European Political Community in Dublin.

“It’s important that we Europeans stand together.” There were “some positive signals” during the peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi. But he expects that Russian President Vladimir Putin will finally agree to talks with the Europeans at the table. “I note with some satisfaction that there is obviously a willingness to recognize more and more on the Russian side that we cannot talk about Europe without Europe,” said Merz.

Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that her authority will present both a 22nd sanctions package against Russia and a proposal to cover Ukraine's financial needs next year before the EU summit in December. She welcomed the peace talks in Abu Dhabi. “It is good that the Europeans were represented to protect our interests.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for this. “We will support Ukraine, be it in wartime or peacetime.”

The two US envoys came from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, where delegations from Russia and Ukraine negotiated under US mediation on Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time since February on ways to end the fighting in Ukraine. A major prisoner exchange was agreed upon during the talks; otherwise, no tangible results were made public. Russia and Ukraine at least declared that they wanted to continue negotiations.