Ukraine War To Drag On With No End In Sight: Germany’s Merz

Hawkish European leaders continue to speak in terms of Cold War-era domino theory nonsense, with the assumption that Russia aims to take over European countries one by one.

This is exactly how German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sounded in telling German public broadcaster ZDF on Sunday that Ukraine has to be defended, and not compromise, or else Germany could be next to be at risk of Russian invasion. He also said on this basis that the Ukraine war is likely to drag on with no end in sight.

Image: Ukrainian Presidency’s offce

While he described he hasn’t lost hope of a Trump-brokered ceasefire – he said he still „harbors no illusions” and that backing Ukraine’s defense remains an „absolute priority”.

„We are trying to end it as quickly as possible. But certainly not at the price of Ukraine’s capitulation. You could end the war tomorrow if Ukraine surrendered and lost its independence,” Merz said.

„Then the next country would be at risk the day after tomorrow. And the day after that, it would be us. That is not an option,” the German chancellor continued.

This seems at least a tacit acknowledgement that it is indeed Western action which continued to fuel the proxy war and keep it going.

His assumption that the ceasefire could only be achieved if Ukraine „lost its independence” is a dubious one, given that Russia is not demanding the whole of Ukraine or to have Kiev under its control, but wants the eastern Russian-speaking territories and an absolute pledge of neutrality regarding NATO.

„I want the US to work with us as long as possible to try to solve this problem,” Merz said. But „diplomacy is not about flipping a switch overnight and then everything will be fine again,” he added.

But Merz also remarked separately last Thursday it was now „obvious” that a meeting between Zelensky would not happen. The White House has expressed concerns that the Europeans sought to thwart this all along.

The Associated Press has tallied that over the course of the war Germany has committed military support worth some 40 billion euros ($47 billion).

Unelected EU President Ursula von der Leyen tours Europe’s weapons factories, smiling over EU-funded arms for Ukraine.

The “peace project” EU?

That is history.

Now it’s just a war machine cashing in on blood and destruction… pic.twitter.com/QmV9Ik2rEU

— Richard (@ricwe123) August 31, 2025

Throughout the war Germany has also ramped up its post-WWII 'neutral’ defense sector, and prioritizing military readiness once again, which marks a historic turn. Even small European countries like Denmark have joined in on pledges to keep arming Ukraine.