Merz: Ukraine War May Last Until “Exhaustion” Stops It

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday said the war in Ukraine is unlikely to end anytime soon, warning that conflicts often only stop when one or both sides are exhausted, militarily or economically.

“We may need to prepare for a longer duration” of the conflict, Merz told reporters after a meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in the city of Turku, according to dpa, Agerpres and Digi24.

“I have no illusions,” Merz added. “We’re still a long way from that point in this war.”

A Sobering View

Since taking office in early May, the 69-year-old chancellor has emphasized continued support for Ukraine.

On Tuesday, he reaffirmed that message, stating that Western aid would persist despite the growing costs and limited progress toward peace.

Merz stressed that the war is not solely about Ukraine’s borders — it’s about defending the European political order established after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

“The political order that we established with Russia after 1990 is being questioned,” he said. “We are under threat, and we are defending ourselves against this.”

Russia Not Interested in Ceasefire

The German chancellor also revealed that recent diplomatic efforts by the EU, the UK, and the United States to encourage Russia to accept a ceasefire have failed.

“I had no illusions from the beginning that this would happen very quickly,” Merz said. “Russia currently has no interest in a ceasefire.”

As a result, Merz argued, Ukraine has no choice but to keep fighting, and Europe must do more to help.

“Ukraine must continue to defend itself, and we must intensify our efforts to ensure that it can,” he concluded.