New German chancellor confirms plans for Ukraine trip in the works

The newly appointed German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has announced that a visit to Ukraine is currently being prepared.

Following his formal election on May 6 by the Bundestag, Merz travelled to Paris the next day, where he revealed his upcoming plans, Caliber.Az reports citing German media.

During his visit to meet Germany's biggest political ally, Merz emphasized the need "to work together from within the European Union to make every possible contribution so that there is a lasting ceasefire there beyond the coming weekend [amid the Victory Day military parade], and that a peace agreement with Russia can then also be achieved."

As Europe reassesses its defence posture amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and growing uncertainty over US security commitments under President Donald Trump, Merz has previously stressed that Washington’s continued involvement remains indispensable. “We cannot end this war in Ukraine without the ongoing participation of the United States. This is not something Europe can handle alone,” he said. He added that any future ceasefire or security guarantees for Ukraine would depend on US engagement. “President Trump has our full support when it comes to ending the war,” Merz noted.

Merz's rise to the chancellorship came after political turbulence. He secured the role in a second-round parliamentary vote, garnering 325 votes—just over the required 316—after suffering an embarrassing defeat in the initial round. The setback was caused by 18 dissenting members from the newly formed coalition between his conservative bloc and the Social Democrats, raising concerns about the new government’s cohesion and long-term stability.

By Nazrin Sadigova