Merkel: EU failed to engage with Russia
Angela Merkel (Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka/Pool via REUTERS)
The EU has failed to use its diplomatic influence to end the
Russo–Ukrainian war, former German Chancellor Angela
Merkel said on May 18.
“I think the military support we’ve provided so far is absolutely the right thing to do. I also think it’s right that we do much more to create a deterrent effect beyond our support for Ukraine,” she told public broadcaster WDR, as quoted by Politico.
“What I regret is that, in my view, Europe is not making sufficient use of its diplomatic potential. It’s not enough for [U.S. President Donald] Trump to maintain contact with Russia.”
Merkel, who led the German government from 2005 to 2021, said she had proposed creating a diplomatic format between the EU and Russia at her last European Council meeting in October 2021, at the end of her term, four months before the full-scale war began.
But she said the idea failed because of differing views within the bloc about how best to deal with Moscow.
“You have to keep working on it until you reach a common position,” Merkel said.
“Diplomacy has always been the other side of the coin, also during the Cold War.”
The former chancellor also said she had not received any proposals to represent the EU in potential negotiations with Moscow.
“The center-right politician also stressed she believed that
only those who hold power are credible negotiators …,” Politico wrote.
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