German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 9 that a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine would test Vladimir Putin's willingness to negotiate a lasting peace.
"This is another major initiative by the president, calling for a 30-day ceasefire, which will start today. It will test how seriously Putin takes such agreements," Merz said at a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels.
The chancellor stressed that now "the ball is completely in Moscow's court and nowhere else" and that the Russian authorities must show that they are "serious about peace in Ukraine."
"If this does not happen, we will not hesitate to further increase the pressure of sanctions, together with our European partners and the United States," Merz concluded.
