German Chancellor Merz Threatens Tougher Sanctions on Russia if Putin-Zelensky Meeting Fails

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that the European Union could impose stricter sanctions on Russia if a planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky does not take place. Merz made the statement during a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. EU Prepares Additional Sanctions "The European Union is preparing further sanctions," said Merz. He also highlighted that US President Donald Trump has not ruled out additional punitive tariffs. European leaders are reportedly hoping for the summit to occur within the next two weeks, but if it fails, "the ball will be back in the Europeans' and Americans' court," according to Merz. Canadian Support for New Measures Prime Minister Carney confirmed Merz’s statement, noting that Canada and the EU are discussing potential new financial restrictions against Russia in addition to the EU’s 19th sanctions package. "We discussed which additional financial sanctions, beyond the 19th EU package, could potentially be applied against Russia if needed," Carney said.