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BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that US President Donald Trump had been sent a proposal on territorial concessions Ukraine is ready to make to end its war against Russia.
Merz said the proposal was sent after he and other European leaders had spoken by phone with Trump on Wednesday.
"It mainly concerns the question of what territorial concessions Ukraine is prepared to make," Merz said. He cautioned however that ultimately "the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people have to answer the question".
Merz, in a joint press conference with NATO chief Mark Rutte, said "it would be a mistake to force the Ukrainian president into a peace that his people will not accept after four years of suffering and death".
On Wednesday, Trump expressed impatience with Ukraine and its European allies France, Britain and Germany.
Trump said "strong words" were exchanged in the phone call with Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Merz said that further talks with the Americans were planned this weekend and that an international meeting on Ukraine "could take place at the beginning of next week".
"Whether or not the American government participates very much depends on the joint drafts of papers which are currently being worked on," he said.
Merz said his conversation with Trump on Wednesday had "left the strong impression that he is ready to go down this path with us, because he knows that the Europeans and their interests have to be heard".
He characterised the exchange as "really very constructive" and said "the positions of both sides were clear and mutual respect was shown".
Merz stressed three goals in the ongoing talks, first among them "a ceasefire that finally puts an end to this terrible war".
"Secondly, this ceasefire has to be secured through robust legal and material guarantees," he said.
"Thirdly, any negotiated solution has to protect European security interest; it cannot come at the expense of the unity of NATO and the European Union."
