Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has emphasized the need to keep diplomatic avenues open to resolve the ongoing war, despite Ukraine’s leadership expressing distrust in Moscow’s willingness to negotiate in good faith.
“It is not only in the interest of Ukraine, but also in our interest that Putin does not win this war,” Merkel said during an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF on Thursday. However, she added, “diplomatic solutions must always be considered in parallel.”
This stance has sparked criticism in Ukraine.
“What kind of ‘return to diplomacy’ can we even talk about, when such ‘diplomacy’ under Merkel’s auspices in the form of the ‘Minsk Process’ has already occurred and led to full-scale aggression?” Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko said.
Merezhko argued that Merkel has been unable to acknowledge prioritizing Germany’s economic interests over broader European security concerns.
“Merkel addressed the interests and demands of her economic partner, Russia, more than the interests of Ukraine. Her policy toward Russia can rightly be called a policy of appeasement,” Merezhko added.
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