BERLIN, May 8. /TASS/. The issue of sending German soldiers to Ukraine to secure a potential lasting ceasefire in not on the agenda right now, Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said.

"This issue is not on the agenda now," he said in an interview with the Welt television channel. "We are a far cry from a truce and even further from a peace agreement. What is topical today is to establish a ceasefire during this weekend, as was declared by the Russian leadership. I hope very much that it will be extended after the weekend."

According to Merz, Berlin support the United States’ efforts on this track. "And we will see how this develops in the process," he noted.

He once again reiterated plans to support and arm Ukraine’s armed forces, including together with the United States. "There is a range of possibilities to guarantee such a ceasefire agreement and a subsequent peace deal," he emphasized.

Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to declare a ceasefire from 12:00 a.m. Moscow time on May 8 (9:00 p.m. GMT on May 7) to 12:00 a.m. Moscow time on May 11 (9:00 p.m. GMT on May 10). According to the Kremlin, "all military operations will be paused during this period." However, Vladimir Zelensky rejected the proposal, demanding a longer pause in fighting on his own terms and making threats against Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.