OREANDA-NEWS  The candidate for chancellor of Germany from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, expressed his readiness to give Russia an ultimatum and organize negotiations with President Vladimir Putin. His words were published by Stern magazine.

The politician said that if he wins the elections, he intends to demand the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine — he will give Moscow a day to make a decision. When Russia refused, the politician offered to supply Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev and lift the ban on strikes deep into Russian territory with long-range weapons.

The current German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, opposed such initiatives. At the end of October, he again condemned the transfer of long-range missiles to Kiev and called this decision wrong.