U.S. President Donald Trump<\/a> has intensified efforts to broker a peace deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine following failed attempts months earlier.<\/p>\n The U.S. leader met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15 and then met President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> alongside European leaders in the White House days later.<\/p>\n Merz noted that Russia’s position continues to make reaching a peace deal difficult, describing the process as a “difficult” task.<\/p>\n “(T)he leadership of Germany and the European Union<\/a> has not yet made more diplomatic efforts than in the last three weeks,” Merz said, emphasizing progress has been made before.<\/p>\n “Let no one say today that we are only discussing arms supplies,” he added as Ukraine and its allies work on security guarantees<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Aug. 19, Merz said that Zelensky and Putin<\/a> could meet within the next two weeks.<\/p>\n “The American president spoke with the Russian president and agreed that there would be a meeting between the Russian president and the Ukrainian president within the next two weeks,” Merz said.<\/p>\n Trump has said he plans to host a bilateral meeting between Zelensky and Putin, followed by a trilateral meeting consisting of the three leaders if talks go well.<\/p>\n Zelensky said on Aug. 18 that he will directly discuss territory<\/a> with Putin in potential peace talks, as Ukraine calls for unconditional negotiations.<\/p>\n