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Merz urges Trump to increase pressure on Russia

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by Lucy Pakhnyuk
Merz urges Trump to increase pressure on Russia
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks to reporters near the U.S. Capitol Building on March 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. Merz took questions following a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on March 3 that he had urged U.S. President Donald Trump to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the war in Ukraine, following talks between the two leaders.

"Russia is playing for time here, and in doing so is also acting against the will of the American president. In today's talks, I called for increasing the pressure on Moscow," Merz told reporters after meeting with Trump.

The chancellor also addressed ongoing trilateral peace discussions involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, stressing that Europe must be included in any settlement process.

"We are not prepared to accept an agreement that is negotiated over our heads," he said.

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During his conversation with Trump, Merz also stressed that Ukraine should not have to make additional territorial concessions, and he reiterated the need to maintain support for Kyiv.

Trump reportedly told Merz that brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine remains "very high" among his priorities. He also expressed confidence that the U.S. has enough munitions both to fight Iran and provide supplies to European partners supporting Ukraine.

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The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek
Friedrich MerzUnited StatesDonald TrumpUkraineRussia
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Lucy Pakhnyuk

News Editor

Lucy Pakhnyuk is a North America-based news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in international development, specializing in democracy, human rights, and governance across Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Her experience includes roles at international NGOs such as Internews, the National Democratic Institute, and Eurasia Foundation. She holds an M.A. in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Wednesday, March 4
Merz urges Trump to increase pressure on Russia.

"Russia is playing for time here, and in doing so is also acting against the will of the American president. In today's talks, I called for increasing the pressure on Moscow," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on March 3 after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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