Merz says ‘time will come to enter peace negotiations’ on conflict in Ukraine

Ukraine crisisMerz says ‘time will come to enter peace negotiations’ on conflict in Ukraine According to the German Chancellor, EU support for Ukraine will not weakenBERLIN, June 24. /TASS/. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the time for negotiations with Russia on resolving the conflict in Ukraine will still come despite the fact that, recently, he has made repeated statements that such a moment has already arrived. At a press conference following a meeting of the E5 leaders (Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, and France) in Berlin, Merz spoke of the intention of NATO partners at the upcoming alliance summit in Ankara to "send a strong signal of support for Ukraine." "The German government proposes that we, the European NATO allies, provide Kiev with serious funding commitments," the Chancellor said. According to him, EU support for Ukraine will not weaken. "We hope that Moscow will draw conclusions from this. The time will come to enter peace negotiations," Merz claimed. Moscow has repeatedly stated its readiness for negotiations on Ukraine but emphasized that it will not tolerate ultimatums. At the EU summit on June 18-19, the EU countries did not agree on either a candidate for a negotiator with Russia or the content of possible negotiations. Having failed this discussion at the summit, they declared that the time for negotiations had not come and that the European Union would never be a mediator but would only act on Ukraine's side. TagsUkraine crisisInvestigation launched into von der Leyen over secret chat with Zelensky — newspaperEuropean Ombudsman Teresa Anjinho is examining whether the EC violated transparency rules by refusing to grant the Dutch organization Follow the Money access to the correspondenceRead moreArmenia at crossroads and threats against Belarus: Kremlin's statementsDmitry Peskov noted that Russia, as an ally of Belarus, would always stand by this country in resolving economic issues and repelling various threatsRead moreHelicopter operations held near Polish-Ukrainian borderAccording to a source in the EU air traffic control services, a helicopter belonging to one of the security agencies was patrolling the airspace at an altitude of up to 400 meters for nearly an hourRead moreOnly nuclear deterrence shielding world from global war — KremlinDmitry Peskov emphasized that at the same time, nuclear deference does not prevent regional conflictsRead moreRussia upgrades T-90 tank using troop feedback from battlefield — RostecThe knowledge of fighters is useful for modernizing hardware and creating new models, Rostec Deputy CEO Nikolay Volobuyev saidRead moreTrump orders probe as oil prices stay highThe US president earlier claimed that around 19 million barrels of oil exited the Strait of Hormuz on June 22Read morePilot of F-15 downed over Iran reported seeing jellyfish-like group of drones — CNNThe TV channel's sources note that US intelligence had no previous knowledge of Iran's possession of this technologyRead morePerpetrators of attack on bus carrying kids identified, wanted — Investigative CommitteeThe perpetrators will be arrested in absentia soonRead moreLiberation of Ivolzhanskoye in Sumy Region expands security zone along Russian borderRussia’s Defense Ministry reported earlier on June 24 that its Battlegroup North units "gained control of the settlement of Ivolzhanskoye"Read moreUS to make new decisions on Iran if it refuses to accept IAEA inspectors — RubioThe US secretary of state denied that there was no understanding between Washington and Tehran regarding the return of IAEA inspectors to IranRead moreBeginning of troops withdrawal is source of disagreement between Israel, Lebanon — TVAccording to a source cited by Al Hadath, Israel adheres to the step-by-step principle and demands that the Lebanese army take concrete action on the ground and demonstrate the ability to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructureRead moreTensions on Ukraine-Belarus border are escalating — CSTO Council's chairmanUkrainian UAV overflights into Russian territory are becoming a daily occurrenceRead moreRussian forces crush larger part of Ukrainian troops in Konstantinovka, Krasny LimanMilitary expert Andrey Marochko said the Ukrainian defenses collapsed in some frontline sectorsRead moreWest facing catastrophic consequences in event of clash with Moscow — MFAAccording to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, an understanding might emerge in Western countries that "we need to lower the temperature"Read morePress review: Israel-Lebanon talks reveal rift and US reassures Gulf as Iran reshapes tiesTop stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, June 24thRead moreSeven civilians wounded after Ukraine’s attacks on DPR during dayFour dwelling houses, six civilian infrastructure facilities, and five trucks were damaged in the periodRead moreRussian interceptor FPV drones destroy Ukrainian heavy-payload UAVs in ramming attackThe Ukrainian R-18 UAVs were uncovered by radar teams within the Battlegroup West area of responsibilityRead moreOne killed, 6 others injured in Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s Belgorod Region in past dayActing Governor Alexander Shuvayev said that Ukrainian troops attacked the Belgorod Region 75 times over the past 24 hoursRead moreUS carries out successful test of Golden Dome missile system — top defense officialAccording to Pete Hegseth, during the test, "cutting edge directed energy was harnessed and the Dynamic Defense Autonomous Defeat system flawlessly and autonomously cued, targeted, and eliminated a multitude of incoming threats"Read moreRussia-US dialogue on irritants in state of certain stagnation — senior Russian diplomatDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted "small progress" in this dialogueRead moreSituation with US visas to Russian diplomats has made some progress, much work remainsDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov added that American officials have begun visiting RussiaRead morePolitico understands Lavrov’s article effect, refuses to publish it — MFAForeign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that such an approach is far from being called "journalism"Read moreInternational law crisis due to intentions to turn it into privilege — MedvedevThe politician recalled that Western countries had actively promoted that concept for decadesRead moreRussian armed forces actively implement AI, robotic systems — defense ministerAndrey Belousov emphasized the crucial role of human judgment in this technological landscapeRead moreKiev’s terrorist attacks cannot change situation at frontline — PutinThe Russian forces are liberating one settlement after another, the Russian president saidRead moreKremlin highlights weakened global institutions, nuclear deterrence as core of securityNew non-nuclear weapons that are potentially comparable in destructive capacity to nuclear arms will soon appear in the world, Dmitry Peskov warnedRead moreAir defenses down nearly 100 drones in Kursk Region over day — governorAlexander Khinshtein said that as a result of the attacks, a school and a private residence in Kolontayevka were damagedRead moreUnited Nations, UN Security Council now devaluing — KremlinAccording to Dmitry Peskov, it is even more evident that the entire system of international relations is depreciatingRead moreRussian authorities eyeing full ban on diesel fuel exportsDeputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that the full ban was set on gasoline and jet fuel exportsRead moreCroatia beats Panama in World Cup matchThe match ended with a score of 1-0Read moreTrust in Trump expressed by an average of 23% of respondents in 36 countries — pollAccording to data provided by the Pew Research Center, an average of 57% of respondents expressed a positive attitude towards the USRead morePutin inspects new Russian aviation equipment in ZhukovskyThe head of state will hold a meeting on aviation developmentRead moreUkrainian POW demands 'just punishment' for Ukraine army commanders, ZelenskyAccording to Sergey Rykov, the policy course being pursued by the Ukrainian leadership is pushing the country’s population to the brink of extinctionRead moreUS’ new sanctions have nothing to do with supporting Cuban people — diplomatUN Permanent Representative Ernesto Soberon Guzman says sanctions only exacerbate the humanitarian consequences of the economic pressure on the countryRead moreRussia says no intention to dismantle elements of strategic stability with USDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted that hotlines between Russia and the US continue to operateRead moreEurope equally responsible for striking Zaporozhye NPP as Kiev — analystAccording to Scott Ritter, European countries need Ukraine to justify their continued existenceRead moreRussian troops strike Ukrainian long-range UAV assembly sites over past day — top brassRussia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 330 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reportedRead moreFACTBOX: Charting history of TASS media presence on ISSAnna Kikina became the first woman in the "TASS on the ISS" projectRead moreIran calls on Saudi Arabia to ‘eject’ US troops from regionIran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed that Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nationRead moreRussia grateful to Witkoff, Kushner for mediation over Ukraine — KremlinDmitry Peskov also underscored Russia’s expectation that these contacts will persist moving forwardRead moreMoscow establishes BARS volunteer formationBARS-Moscow volunteers practice the full cycle of field operations under near-combat conditionsRead moreAfD leader calls on Merz to support Costa’s initiative to resume contacts with RussiaPolitico and Bloomberg reported earlier that during the recent EU summit, the association’s largest countries, including Germany, were infuriated over European Council President’s alleged preliminary contacts with MoscowRead moreNumber of civilians injured by Ukrainian army in June exceeds 250 per week — envoyAccording to Rodion Miroshnik, the weekly death toll ranged from 30 to 50 civiliansRead moreWest’s preparations for war with Russia, its readiness to respond: Putin's commentsThe leadership of NATO countries and the European Union uses false statements about the alleged Russian threat to increase their military budgets, the Russian leader notedRead moreEuropean statements about contacts with Russia on Ukraine inadequate — LavrovThe foreign minister emphasized that such behavior by representatives of the Old World "demonstrates that the neocolonial mentality and neocolonial ambitions are still very much alive and driving many of Europe's initiatives and positions"Read moreElon Musk loses his trillionaire statusThe US entrepreneur's fortune has fallen to $957 blnRead moreUS seeks to buy European section of Nord Streams, resell Russian gas to EU — LavrovThe Russian Foreign Minister believes that it will be at a substantial markupRead moreDistricts of Kherson Region completely or partially without power — governorVladimir Saldo says power workers and emergency services are already at the sceneRead morePharmaceutical companies leave Ukraine — Russian security forcesAccording to the source, the Ukrainian biotechnology company Biopharma intends to launch an 85 million euro production facility in Arad, Romania by the end of 2027Read moreEngland, Ghana play to 0-0 draw in World Cup matchIn the final round, England will face Panama, while Ghana will face CroatiaRead morePower outage reported in Sevastopol as Russia downs 323 Ukrainian drones overnightTwo civilians were killed each in a Ukrainian drone attack on Gorlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and on the Nizhny Novgorod RegionRead moreRussian troops liberate Ivolzhanskoye community in Sumy Region over past dayRussia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 215 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a US-made surface-to-air missile system in its areas of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reportedRead moreFunds from Russian assets sent to Kiev are stolen money — LavrovAccording to the Russian top diplomat, a total of 45 bln euros have been transferred to Kiev over four yearsRead moreUkraine’s, collective West actions may exhaust all patience — politicianViktor Medvedchuk said that a lot of Western politicians and Vladimir Zelensky are doing everything they can to bring a nuclear apocalypse closer to realityRead moreWest provided Ukraine with $66 bln since launch of Russian asset income schemeThe stated amount of $66 bln does not include deliveries of military equipment, weapons and suppliesRead moreAir defenses destroy 31 Ukrainian UAVs over Russian regions within six-hour periodTheu were destroyed over the Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Tula, Krasnodar, Stavropol Regions, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Abkhazia and over the Black Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry reportedRead moreCatastrophic consequences for West, Lavrov-Rubio contacts: senior diplomat’s statementsSergey Ryabkov emphasized that Russia would not back down from its position that all agreements reached in Anchorage should be implementedRead moreRussia not to stop on front line to start talks on Ukraine — LavrovThe Russian top diplomat recalled that Moscow had already did that when the sides had reached the agreement in IstanbulRead moreTrump believes Iran to be ‘on ropes,’ willing to give in to US in all areasAccording to the US leader, by adopting War Powers Act the US Senate "has provided aid and comfort the enemy"Read morePotential agreements with Europe should be within framework of Anchorage — Russian MFADeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov added that Moscow is watching with some interest the discussions regarding a potential EU negotiatorRead moreHungary once again holds up Ukraine's EU accession process — PoliticoHungary opposed sending a letter to the European Council and Commission on behalf of the bloc's 27 members that spells out the joint position of EU capitalsRead moreOne person killed, one more injured in Belgorod Region during attack by Ukrainian armyA woman who sustained a shrapnel wound was taken to hospitalRead moreSerbia to stay friendly with Russia after election — expertSenior research associate at the Institute for Recent History of Serbia Milana Zivanovic emphasized that cooperation is beneficial for both sidesRead moreSteps to counter threats, Kiev's attempts to upend energy sector: Putin's commentsThe Russian president instructed the government and the Defense Ministry to minimize the impact of the Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructureRead moreWest is attempting to challenge Russia's rights to its Arctic territories — MFAThe Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the issue of indigenous peoples' rights is being overly politicized by Western countriesRead moreContacts between Lavrov, Rubio to continue — senior Russian diplomatDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov added that telephone conversations between the officials can be quickly arrangedRead moreEU to spend 7 trillion euros on weapons in next decade to 'outgun' Russia — ECThe European Union needs to pay the price for peace, to avoid the cost of war, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius saidRead moreRutte states need to increase military production on both sides of AtlanticThe NATO secretary general aslo stressed the need to replenish ammunition stockpilesRead moreRussia invited Ukraine to significantly upgrade level of chief delegates — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister said that Russia proposed creating three working groupsRead morePeskov points to trend toward declining role of dollar as global reserve currencyThe Kremlin spokesman noted that the foundations of the international economic order are being depreciatedRead moreDeutsche Bahn suspends train service across Germany due to radio communications failureAccording to some reports, the Berlin commuter train is not operatingRead moreLavrov meets with UN chief candidate Espinosa — Russian Foreign MinistryMaria Espinosa presented her campaign platformRead moreTrump threatens to cancel contacts with Iran if there is no agreement on inspectionsSpeaking to journalists, the US leader assured that an agreement between Tehran and Washington regarding the arrival of IAEA inspectors in Iran already existsRead moreBees on planet dying out for unknown reasons — scientistDmitry Boguslavsky says scientists thought that bees became disoriented after leaving the hive. However, even if a colony was confined to the hive with food, water, and the right temperature, all bees still diedRead moreBRICS countries to use common strategic reserves for mutual assistance — ShoiguAccording to the Russian Security Council Secretary, this refers to fertilizers, LNG and oil, as well as medicines and a wide variety of other goodsRead morePress review: UK PM to continue predecessor policy as US reshapes oil market beyond OPEC+Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, June 23rdRead moreIN BRIEF: Lavrov's remarks on contacts with EU and faith in diplomacyAccording to the Russian foreign minister, the Ukrainian conflict can still be resolved through political and diplomatic meansRead moreEscalation on Ukrainian-Belarusian border and Armenia's choice: CSTO statementsChairman of the CSTO's Permanent Council Viktor Vasilyev stressed that Armenia's membership in the CSTO would be thoroughly discussedRead moreWitkoff, Kushner’s visit being discussed, Russia would 'lend them an ear' — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister noted that Russia is always open to talksRead moreMoscow to respond in case West uses Russian frozen assets — diplomatAny use of Russian assets for purposes not agreed with the Russian Federation is blatant robbery, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stressedRead moreLavrov would like to see Russia out of 'half-dead' OSCE, but it's up to Putin to decideThe Russian foreign minister explained that Moscow would not feel "any discomfort" leaving the organization on its ownRead moreLavrov comments on Europe’s revanchism, Zelensky's comfort playing 'fuhrer' roleThe Russian top diplomat highlighted that the current elites in Europe made no secret of their preparations for a war against Russia in the near futureRead morePutin, Lukashenko to discuss Zelensky’s threats soon — KremlinDmitry Peskov added that it will be a good opportunity to discuss other issues as wellRead moreRussia, Armenia closely linked, integration process strengthens ties — KremlinDmitry Peskov stressed that Moscow is interested in expanding cooperation with YerevanRead morePrice of Brent oil down below $76 per barrel on London’s ICEAs of 3:01 a.m. GMT, the Brent price was down by 1.48% at $75.94 a barrelRead moreKiev cannot forgive Crimea for rejoining Russia in 2014 — KonstantinovChairman of the State Council of the Republic urged Crimeans to show restraint, patience, and uniteRead morePutin rejects Western allegations about Russian threat as false claimsAs the Russian leader emphasized, the West is openly discussing preparations for war with Russia and increasing its defense budgetsRead moreWest holds back from launching drones at Russia over retaliation fears — PutinThe Russian leader pointed out that "when some Ukrainian drones fly over the Baltic states, they don’t attribute them to Russia"Read moreResolving Ukrainian conflict through diplomacy remains possible — LavrovAccording to the foreign minister, this requires specific legally binding security guarantees based on the principle of indivisibility of security, including ensuring Russia's security on its western bordersRead moreMedvedev calls for lawfully curbing Western military bases in other countriesThe Russian politician noted that these deployments had become a significant factor undermining the collective security system and eroding the sovereignty of statesRead moreLondon seeks dubious political points by giving uranium to Kiev — Russian Foreign MinistryRussian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow is not aware of Ukraine's industrial capacity for independent production of nuclear fuelRead moreRound-the-clock efforts underway to prevent Kiev’s terrorist attacks — FSB chiefAlexander Bortnikov called Vladimir Zelensky a terroristRead moreRepelling drone attacks and reserves for mutual assistance: Shoigu’s statementsAccording to the Russian Security Council Secretary, BRICS member countries will use the group's common reserve fundsRead moreSevastopol temporarily left without power due to attack on its energy infrastructureA special regime has been declared at the facilities, Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev saidRead moreUS LNG exports remain high in April, with Egypt leading wayLNG exports were 6% lower than in March and 20% higher than in April 2025Read moreRussian artillery wipes out Ukrainian UAV control posts in Kharkov RegionThe Russian Defense Ministry reported that Giatsint-S crews delivered strikes by 152mm high-explosive fragmentation shells from sheltered positionsRead moreIN BRIEF: Kremlin comments on preparations for Duma election, irreversible defeat for KievDmitry Peskov said the situation on the front is deteriorating day by day for KievRead moreRussia warns about countermeasures in event of Baltic region's development by NATODeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said a recent statement by the Nuclear Planning Group was "a reflection of the alliance’s overall super-aggressive attitude toward Russia"Read moreUS Senate passes resolution to end war with IranFifty senators voted in favor, with 48 voting againstRead moreRussian government considers diesel fuel exports banThe situation in the Russian fuel market is "indeed challenging but controlled," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak saidRead more'Signs of shift' in US position on Anchorage, dialogue on Ukraine: Ryabkov’s statementsAccording to the Russian diplomat, Moscow remains committed to the understandings reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump in AlaskaRead more