Merz Says He Will Not Shy Away From Talking With Putin at G20

Friedrich Merz said the German chancellor will eventually have to speak with Vladimir Putin, and that he would not avoid a conversation if the Russian president comes to the U.S.-hosted G20 meeting in December.

The remarks came during a Westfalenpost citizen dialogue in Hagen. In a video clip circulated by Clash Report, Merz first said the same principle that should apply to talking “sensibly” with the American president would one day apply to Putin as well.

“The German Chancellor must also talk to Putin at some point,” he said, referring to the office in the third person.

Asked whether a conversation between the two men could take place in December, Merz replied: “That is not ruled out.”

G20 Invitation Remains Open

“We have the G20 meeting in December, on the 13th and 14th in Miami,” Merz said. “The hosts always also have the right to invite additional heads of state and government. And as far as we know so far, Trump has invited Putin. Whether he comes is open, he has not yet confirmed. If he is there, I will not shy away from an opportunity for a conversation.”

Westfalenpost earlier quoted him as saying he would not avoid a conversation with Putin, matching the line he delivered on stage. The Funke-owned WAZ also covered the Hagen townhall, including his comments on talks with the Russian president.

Merz’s wording is a statement of willingness, not an announcement of a scheduled bilateral meeting. Putin’s attendance has not been confirmed. Russia has said it is too early to discuss a visit and that the makeup of its delegation has not been decided.

The U.S.-hosted summit is planned for mid-December in Miami. President Donald Trump has publicly said he wants Putin there, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that an invitation was extended.

Ukraine Talks Still Shape the Context

A conversation with Putin would come against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and growing strain among Kyiv’s European backers. Clash Report recently covered European fatigue over long-term Ukraine aid as governments weigh how long current support can last.

Merz has also warned that power politics are returning and that Europe must act. Those earlier comments sit alongside a separate line he drew in Berlin on November 3: if Putin attends the G20 and Ukraine is discussed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must be at the table. He called it “completely unacceptable” for third countries to discuss Ukraine’s fate without Ukraine.

The Hagen remarks do not replace that condition. They do show Merz presenting a direct conversation with Putin as something a German chancellor should not dodge if the opportunity arises.