Commerzbank said it will engage in talks with UniCredit about a possible combination of the two European banks only if the Italian bank submits a proposal, so far not received.

"We have always expressed our willingness to discuss and evaluate a proposal from UniCredit in the interest of all parties concerned, but we have not yet received it," the German bank said.

The statement came in response to a request for comment after UniCredit's CEO Andrea Orcel told the German news outlet Faz that he wanted to discuss Commerzbank's planned acquisition with the new German government and hoped for clarification by the end of the year.

(Translated by Laura Contemori, editing Francesca Piscioneri)