Putin accused of wanting ‘to restore old Soviet Union’

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of wanting "to restore the old Soviet Union."

Putin is interested in "fundamentally changing the borders in Europe and restoring the old Soviet Union within the borders of the old Soviet Union," Merz said in his speech to the party congress of the co-ruling Christian Social Union (CSU) in Munich.

This goes hand in hand with a massive military threat to the countries that once "belonged to this empire," Merz added.

The chancellor did not directly address the ongoing diplomatic negotiations to end Russia's war in Ukraine in his speech, however, he called for a careful analysis of Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategy.

"If Ukraine falls, he will not stop. And anyone who still believes that he will be satisfied with that should please analyze his strategies, papers, speeches, and appearances closely," he added.

Merz stressed it was important to continue providing aid to Ukraine. He said other key elements include cohesion within the European Union and close ties with the United Kingdom, "maintaining the NATO alliance for as long as possible," and massive investment in our own defense capabilities.

The German leader will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders in Berlin next week to discuss the latest developments in peace negotiations, his office announced on Friday.

On Monday, Merz will first hold bilateral talks with Zelenskyy on economic support for Ukraine and discuss the latest diplomatic initiatives, German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said in a statement.

"In the evening, numerous European heads of state and government, as well as top EU and NATO representatives, will join the discussions," Kornelius said, without providing further details about the participants or the meeting's agenda.

Merz confirmed on Thursday that Kyiv and its European allies have developed a new Ukraine peace proposal, addressing territorial issues.