Merz to host Coalition of the Willing summit in Berlin in mid-November

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on Saturday, Oct. 31, that Germany will host a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Berlin in mid-November to synchronise international military and financial assistance for Ukraine.

Merz made the announcement at the close of a diplomatic tour of Asia that took him to Singapore, Japan and South Korea. Sustaining long-term support for Kyiv and reinforcing Ukrainian air defences emerged as the primary themes across all three stops, the German Federal Government said.

Merz said that "a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing will take place in Berlin in mid-November," and affirmed that Berlin intended to maintain its leadership role in mobilising European and global support by coordinating international aid to Ukraine.

Merz rejected the argument that Western military assistance prolongs the war, stating that "we are not supporting Ukraine in order to continue this war" but rather to end it as soon as possible.

The chancellor also ruled out any outcome amounting to a Ukrainian capitulation, warning that "capitulation, or even unconditional capitulation of Ukraine, is not an option" because such a result would compromise European security as a whole, meaning the capitulation of all of Europe.

Merz characterised Russia's aggression as an assault on "the entire political order that we have achieved since 1990," arguing that Moscow's campaign extended beyond ground combat into hybrid warfare, airspace provocations and sabotage operations across Europe.