Merkel asserts that talks are only method out of Ukraine war
Date
11/25/2024 7:40:23 AM
(MENAFN) Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has emphasized that dialogue with Russia will eventually be necessary to bring an end to the Ukraine conflict. In an interview with the Sunday Times, she stated that there will not be a purely military solution to the crisis, and conversations will need to take place at the right moment. Merkel, who was a key figure behind the 2014-15 Minsk agreements, explained that these agreements were meant to provide Ukraine with time to strengthen its military capabilities, but she acknowledged that now a Political solution must be sought.
Merkel expressed general support for the Ukraine policies of the current German government and the European Union, noting that Germany has been a major provider of military aid to Ukraine. However, she emphasized that, at some point, discussions with Russia will be necessary to reach a sustainable peace. She warned that the conflict cannot be resolved solely through military means, and dialogue will be critical in ensuring Ukraine’s future independence.
In her newly released memoir, Freedom: Memories 1954-2021, Merkel revisited her position during the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, where she opposed Ukraine and Georgia’s membership bids. She argued that such a move would provoke Russia without providing meaningful security guarantees, a stance she continues to defend. While Ukrainian President Zelensky and others have criticized her approach, Merkel maintains that her position was valid and that the current tensions in Ukraine are partly a result of that decision.
Moscow has repeatedly expressed a willingness to negotiate, with President Putin recently reiterating that any peace talks should be based on the 2022 agreements reached in Istanbul, which included proposals for Ukraine to adopt a neutral, non-aligned status. However, Russia has stated that future talks must take into account the current territorial situation, which implies that Ukraine may have to make territorial concessions, particularly regarding areas that have joined Russia, such as Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporozhye, and Crimea.
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