Overview

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said it is obvious a face-to-face between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not happen in the near term.
• He delivered the assessment after meeting Emmanuel Macron at Fort Brégançon on the eve of a Franco-German ministerial council.
• President Donald Trump had forecast a meeting within two weeks after consultations in Washington, but the Kremlin later characterized any leaders’ encounter as acceptable only at the end of a negotiating process.
• Russian preconditions are viewed in Kyiv and Western capitals as completely unacceptable, and Merz has accused Putin of pursuing a delay strategy.
• White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said neither side is willing to end the war and indicated the president will issue further statements.