Merkel: Poland Blocked 2021 Russia Talks Before War

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, long considered one of Europe's most influential politicians, has made a statement that sheds new light on the diplomatic failures preceding the Ukrainian war. In an interview with the Hungarian publication Partizan, Merkel claimed that in 2021, months before the start of the full-scale military operations, Poland and the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) thwarted an initiative to start direct negotiations with Russia.

According to Merkel, the main reason for these countries' resistance was the fear that European Union member states would not be able to develop and present a unified, coordinated policy towards Moscow. The Eastern European countries were essentially unsure that Brussels would be able to adopt a sufficiently tough and united position in a dialogue with the Kremlin.

The former chancellor specifically emphasized that due to the impossibility of holding a direct dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, subsequent events unfolded in a completely different way than they could have. With these words, Merkel, in fact, hints that the failed diplomatic efforts in 2021 could have prevented or at least mitigated the crisis that led to the war.

Referring to the current situation, Merkel noted that times have changed, and it is now necessary to think anew about what the best position is to achieve peace. In her conviction, this will only be possible if Europe "acts as a real deterrent factor and at the same time continues to support Ukraine."

In fact, the former German leader, on the one hand, accuses her European colleagues of missing diplomatic opportunities in the pre-war period, and on the other hand, emphasizes that at the current stage, the only way to achieve peace is to act from a position of strength and provide comprehensive support to Ukraine.