00:00Separately, German Chancellor Frederick Merz says Ukraine must not be forced to surrender the Donbass region.
00:06Speaking after a White House meeting with President U.S. Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky,
00:13Merz compares Russia's demand to the U.S. being asked to give up Florida.
00:17Moscow is seeking full control of the Donbass as a central condition to end the war,
00:22demanding Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk.
00:26During the talks, Merz said Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call to meet Zelensky within two weeks,
00:36although the location had not yet been decided.
00:40While Trump expressed readiness to offer security guarantees for Ukraine,
00:44Merz said much of the responsibility has shifted to Europe.
00:48He stressed that genuine negotiations could only take place with Ukraine's participation
00:53and only after a complete ceasefire.
