Chancellor Friedrich Merz has drawn a positive conclusion from the Ukraine summit at the White House in Washington.

"My expectations were not only met, but exceeded," the CDU politician said after the talks. He didn't want to hide the fact that he wasn't sure the meeting would go this way. "It could have gone differently."

These are "fateful days for Ukraine and for Europe," Merz said. The conversation with US President Donald Trump was very open. Real negotiations can only take place at a summit in which Ukraine also participates. "Such a summit is only conceivable if the guns fall silent," the Chancellor emphasized.

Discuss the issue of security guarantees

There was a very intensive discussion in the White House deliberations on security guarantees for Ukraine after a peace agreement. "We very strongly welcomed President Trump's announcement to provide security guarantees to Ukraine."

The question of who will participate in these security guarantees and to what extent must be discussed between the European partners and the US government. "It is absolutely clear that the whole of Europe should participate," Merz said.

Germany has "a great responsibility" to do this, he said. The extent to which this is possible needs to be discussed in Europe and within the coalition in Berlin—"right up to the question of whether we might have to make decisions that require a mandate." However, it is too early to give a definitive answer.

Mandatory resolutions mean that the Bundestag decides whether to send Bundeswehr soldiers to Ukraine.