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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that Russia's response to a rare meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers demonstrated that Moscow has no genuine interest in negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine, as he renewed calls for the Kremlin to return to the table.
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Merz said Russia's own characterization of the talks made clear where things stood. "Russia's subsequent assessment of this conversation has shown that Russia is obviously not interested in serious talks at all at this point in time," he said.
The assessment followed a conversation on Saturday between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the United Nations in New York. It was the first such exchange between the two countries' top diplomats since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
German officials said Wadephul used the meeting to press Russia to "abandon its dangerous path of escalation vis-a-vis Germany, Europe and NATO," while affirming what they described as "Germany's resolve to support Ukraine."
Lavrov struck a different tone in a subsequent address to the UN General Assembly, accusing European governments of obstructing efforts to end the conflict. He said the "aims of the special military operation will be achieved," using the term Moscow has applied to its invasion since 2022.
Earlier Tuesday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius offered a sharper critique of the Russian foreign minister's conduct, saying Lavrov had "mocked and discredited" efforts to negotiate. Pistorius said the exchange had produced "no movement, only ridicule."
Merz echoed that assessment while insisting Berlin's door remained open. "Once again" he called on the Russian government to come to the negotiating table, he said, but added that Germany was prepared to back Ukraine indefinitely if Moscow continued to refuse. "If Russia is not prepared to do so, then we are... ready to support Ukraine over a long period of time," Merz said.
He also predicted that continued fighting would come at a steep cost to Russia. "Russia will not win this war," Merz said, adding that the country would "suffer massive damage" the longer the conflict drags on. He pointed to what he called strain already visible in Russia's economy, saying, "We see already what a precarious situation the Russian economy is in."
Merz made his remarks alongside Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who was on an official visit to Berlin. Kazakhstan has maintained close ties with Moscow since the Soviet collapse but has stopped short of endorsing Russia's invasion.
In July, Tokayev publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the fighting, a notably direct intervention from a government generally cautious about criticizing the Kremlin.
On Tuesday, Tokayev reiterated that he maintains "excellent relations" with Putin, but said Kazakhstan had been "concerned about the situation in Ukraine from the very beginning." He said his government "insists on respect for... the territorial integrity of all states."
"Whatever happens in Ukraine, we will never forget that Russia and Ukraine are our friends," Tokayev said.
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