In the first online conversation, Merz emphasized that "there is hope for changes and peace in Ukraine."
He stated the need to clearly define the sequence of negotiations to end the war, first by establishing a ceasefire regime, and then ensuring that Kyiv is the negotiation capital in subsequent meetings.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Trump supports proposals regarding a ceasefire and security guarantees.
He stressed that Russia should not have the right to veto Ukraine's NATO membership prospects and said that Putin "does not want peace, but rather seeks conquest."
