Mertz fails to convince Trump: support for Ukraine in question – NYT
6 June 18:43
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz failed to achieve the key goal of his visit to Washington, D.C., which was to secure guarantees of support for Ukraine from U.S. President Donald Trump. The New York Times reports this, citing sources among American and German officials, "Komersant Ukrainian".
Before the meeting, both sides emphasized that the war in Ukraine would be the central topic of the talks. Merz arrived in the United States with the intention of convincing Trump to play a more active role in deterring Russian aggression and to support Kyiv with weapons and sanctions against the Kremlin.
However, according to the sources, Trump not only disagreed with such calls, but also hinted that possible sanctions could be directed against Ukraine. He did not commit to any further military or political assistance to Kyiv.
According to aides, Trump expresses irritation with both sides of the conflict, but especially with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In conversations with his associates, he allegedly called Zelenskyy a “bad guy” who is “pushing the world toward nuclear war,” although he also acknowledges that it is Russia that continues to carry out massive strikes on Ukrainian cities.
During his meeting with Merz, Trump reiterated his belief that the war can be stopped through negotiations. He compared the conflict to “two little kids fighting like crazy in the park,” adding, “Sometimes it’s better to let them fight a little bit and then pull them apart.”
