Russia is constantly seeking reasons not to have to end the war, says Zelensky, side by side with Germany's Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.
There, the Ukrainian president is urging NATO to invite him to the alliance's summit in June, which is likely to put further pressure on Russia as the US government appears to be sharpening its tone towards Vladimir Putin.
Several Russian sources tell the news agency Reuters that Russia is making continued high demands for the war to come to an end: among other things, that NATO promises not to welcome more member states eastward and that sanctions are lifted.
Can Shoot Far
Germany and Ukraine have agreed to jointly manufacture long-range weapons for the Ukrainian defense.
There will be no range limitations, allowing Ukraine to fully defend itself, even against military targets outside its own territory, says Merz.
Merz said in an interview earlier in the week that there are no longer any such conditions for the weapons that Ukraine receives, neither from France, the UK, nor the USA.
The two countries are also in agreement on new military support to Ukraine of five billion euros, announces the German Defense Ministry in a statement, reports Bloomberg.
Proposes Triple Meeting
Zelensky is proposing tripartite talks with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to him, this could force Russia to pause the ongoing invasion.
"If Putin is not comfortable with a bilateral meeting, or if someone wants it to be a tripartite meeting, then I have no objections. I am ready under any conditions," announced the Ukrainian earlier on Wednesday.
Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks between the countries in Turkey a couple of weeks ago, whereupon Zelensky challenged him to a personal meeting. Putin did not show up and a meeting was held instead at a lower level.
When the Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov comments on the possibilities of a meeting between Putin, Zelensky, and Trump, he says that it is a part that should come first:
Such a meeting should be the result of concrete agreements between (the Ukrainian and Russian) delegations.
