While negotiations on the US plan for Ukraine are taking place in Geneva, the Chancellor has expressed criticism of parts of it: The US government cannot access Russian assets frozen in the EU, Merz said in an ARD interview.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has clearly rejected the US plans to use Russian assets frozen in the EU."That is not acceptable," the CDU politician said in an ARD interview after the G20 summit in Johannesburg.

The 28-point plan drawn up by the US government for ending the war in Ukraine states that $100 billion of seized Russian state assets should be channeled into US-led reconstruction and investment efforts in Ukraine. The US would, in turn, receive 50 percent of any potential profits. The US plan also stipulates that the EU contribute an additional $100 billion to reconstruction in Ukraine.

Markus Preiss, ARD Berlin, speaks with Chancellor Merz Das Erste

Merz said these were parts of the 28-point plan"that certainly cannot be implemented without our approval." Discussions so far have centered on using Russian assets for a loan."And if this loan is granted, it will be provided by the European Union and then given to Ukraine so they can continue buying weapons. But that's not something that directly affects the Americans. And therefore, of course, the Americans cannot access this amount," the Chancellor continued."And the demand to add another 100 billion from Europe is also not something we can approve."

Merz hopes for progress in Geneva

In Geneva today, the 28-point plan and proposed amendments from the Europeans are being discussed. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are participating in the meeting, as well as the security advisors of the so-called E3 countries – Germany, France, and the United Kingdom – along with Italy and Ukraine.

Merz explained that the goal in Geneva was to formulate parts of the US plan in a way that would allow for consensus."I cannot and will not preempt the negotiations currently taking place in Geneva," the Chancellor said. However, he added that it was important to make progress now.

"We see hybrid attacks by Russia every day."

Merz emphasized that the war against Ukraine is a dangerous situation for the entire political order of the European continent. Russia is trying to destroy it."We see hybrid attacks by Russia every day – on our infrastructure, on our data networks," the Chancellor said. There are acts of sabotage:"Now this latest one, which we saw in Poland, on an important railway line, clearly shows Russian involvement."

Just under a week ago, a railway line between Warsaw and Lublin, used to transport aid supplies to Ukraine, was sabotaged. In one instance, a train was presumably meant to be derailed by a steel device placed on the tracks. However, a train driver raised the alarm. In the other instance, an explosive device detonated as a freight train passed through. No one was injured in either incident.