Merz expressed his willingness to call Putin after his visit to Kiev.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was ready to hold a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He stated this in an interview with Bild on May 10 during his visit to Kiev.

"If the need arises, if it helps to put an end to this <conflict>, I am ready to do a lot. But first we have to see if we can achieve the goal of a cease—fire after this weekend," he replied to a question about a direct conversation with the Russian leader.

The German Chancellor also clarified that the trip of French President Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Ministers of Great Britain and Poland, Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk to Ukraine was coordinated with the American leader Donald Trump.

Merz stressed that these Western politicians are calling for a 30-day ceasefire, which will allow them to prepare for peace talks. Representatives of Paris, London, Berlin and Warsaw expect the Russian leader to respond to this proposal.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sibiga on his page on the social network X (ex. Twitter) on this day announced that Ukraine and its partners are ready for a full ceasefire for 30 days.

Sibiga added that Macron, Merz, Tusk and Starmer, who arrived in Kiev, together with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, held telephone talks with American leader Donald Trump. The parties discussed a peaceful settlement of the conflict.