The former German chancellor previously acknowledged using diplomacy to provide Ukraine with time to bolster its defenses.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel advised Ukraine to consider both diplomatic and military avenues to resolve the conflict with Russia. However, she refrained from specifying when Ukraine should engage in talks with Moscow.
In an interview with German broadcaster ZDF on Thursday, Merkel voiced her support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision to shift from decades of pacifist foreign policy and supply arms to Ukraine, stating that preventing a Russian victory is crucial for both Ukraine and Germany.
Merkel affirmed her support for international efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s position, while emphasizing the simultaneous need to explore diplomatic solutions.
The former chancellor advocated for Ukraine to pursue a diplomatic resolution at the opportune moment, without elaborating on the timing.
Merkel served as German Chancellor from 2005 to 2021 and was a guarantor of the 2014-15 Minsk agreements, which temporarily halted fighting between the Ukrainian military and pro-independence forces in Donetsk and Lugansk in exchange for Ukrainian concessions on autonomy to these predominantly Russian-speaking regions.
In 2022, Merkel acknowledged that these agreements were designed to buy Ukraine time to enhance its military capabilities for a potential future conflict with Russia.
In her recently published memoirs, Merkel defended her 2008 decision to block Ukraine’s NATO accession, arguing that this prevented an earlier escalation of the conflict.
“It was clear to me that President Putin wouldn’t tolerate Ukraine joining NATO,” she told the BBC. “And Ukraine wouldn’t have been as prepared as it was in February 2022.”
US President-elect Donald Trump pledged to broker a diplomatic settlement between Ukraine and Russia, without detailing his approach. A reported strategy under consideration by Trump’s team involves revisiting the Minsk agreements, according to a recent Financial Times report citing an anonymous long-term Trump advisor.
The Kremlin expressed skepticism about Trump’s ability to easily resolve the conflict, although Putin acknowledged that the incoming president’s statements warrant attention.
Moscow insists that any settlement must include a cessation of Ukrainian hostilities and recognition of Russia’s control over Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporozhye, and Crimea. Furthermore, the Kremlin maintains its commitment to achieving the objectives of its military operation, including Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification.