Updated

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is generally willing to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrinform reported. Such contact, however, must serve a specific purpose, and Berlin still sees no willingness on Russia's part to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The German government explained these conditions on November 10, 2026, as US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. The report did not describe any planned contact between Merz and Putin.