Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer says he sees no military solution to the conflict in Ukraine. In an interview with Berliner Zeitung, he argued that defeating Russia on the battlefield is unrealistic, making diplomacy the only viable path forward.

Kretschmer stressed that history and the practice of international relations offer a clear lesson: even in periods of open confrontation, communication channels must remain intact. Cutting off dialogue, in his view, only narrows the space for resolving crises.

His assessment contrasts with the more reserved outlook recently voiced by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz suggested the war is likely to end only when one side becomes significantly exhausted. At the same time, he acknowledged that a negotiated settlement does not appear imminent.

Across the Atlantic, a joint report by auditors from the Pentagon, the State Department and USAID was presented to the U. S. Congress. The document points to Russia’s continuing battlefield advantage. According to the report’s authors, the Ukrainian armed forces are grappling with shortages of personnel and equipment and have been unable to halt the advance of Russian troops.