BERLIN, January 29. /TASS/. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Berlin will not act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine on a peace deal, Die Zeit reported.

"It’s Russia and Ukraine that need to sit down with each other. We [Germany - TASS] do not act as intermediaries here," the newspaper quoted the chancellor as saying.

Merz sees no chance of Ukraine joining the European Union, and ruled out its joining the union in 2027, the newspaper said.

Earlier, the ruling coalition of the Social Democratic Party of Germany called on the Europeans to establish diplomatic contacts with Russia to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, Suddeutsche Zeitung reported.