Germany pledges continued support for Ukraine until just and lasting peace is achieved

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged Monday to sustain economic and military support for Ukraine, warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin's territorial ambitions reach far beyond Ukraine's borders.

Speaking at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's "Café Kyiv" event in Berlin one day before the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, Merz emphasized Germany's commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace.

"We don't want to prolong this war. We want to make a just peace possible and end it as quickly as possible," Merz said. "But we want a just and, above all, a lasting peace—a peace that preserves Ukraine's dignity and truly protects the security of Ukraine and Europe."

The chancellor said the war will end only when Putin no longer sees any benefit in continuing it. He urged Western nations to ramp up pressure on the Kremlin through harsher sanctions.

"This war will only end when Russia can no longer count on territorial gains, when Russia's costs for this madness have simply become too high. That's why we must maintain the pressure on Russia. We must even increase it," he said.

The conservative leader also said Putin's military intentions extend beyond Ukraine, adding that Russia is already using hybrid warfare tactics against European countries.

"Putin will not end his campaign even if Ukraine gives up and capitulates," Merz said. "Because we hear the threats. We see the provocations in the Baltics, in the Baltic Sea, the hybrid attacks everywhere in Europe, especially here in Germany."