Merz Says Russia Cannot Win. NATO Backs It With €140 Billion. Moscow Says No.
At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, 2026, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that Russia has "no chance of winning this war" and called for immediate ceasefire negotiations. NATO allies backed his position with a €140 billion military commitment for Ukraine across 2026 and 2027. Moscow rejected the call to negotiate. Czech President Pavel warned allies that Ukraine has two months to restart peace talks before Russia's mobilization calculus changes permanently.
June 17, 2026
