Merkel: Only serving EU leaders should negotiate with Putin

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin should be conducted exclusively by current European Union leaders, arguing that only serving politicians possess the necessary political authority to engage in such talks.

Speaking at a forum organised by German broadcaster WDR, Merkel referred to negotiations over the Minsk agreements, saying she and other leaders were able to negotiate with Putin because they held political power as heads of government.

“You must have authority, and it would never have occurred to me personally to ask a mediator to go to Minsk and speak with Putin on my behalf,” Merkel said, adding that any similar initiative today should come from current officeholders.

Her remarks came after Politico reported possible candidates to represent the EU in potential talks with Russia, including Merkel, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and former Italian prime minister and ex-European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.

Merkel also said Europe was not making sufficient use of its diplomatic capabilities regarding the war in Ukraine.

She revealed that during her final EU summit as German chancellor, she had proposed exploring formats for dialogue with Putin, but the idea failed to gain support because EU members could not agree on a common Russia policy.

The former chancellor stressed the importance of combining diplomacy with military deterrence, arguing that the approach had proved effective during the Cold War.

“Military deterrence plus diplomatic activity — I consider that important,” Merkel said.

She also argued that it was not enough for U.S. President Donald Trump alone to maintain contact with Russia.

Merkel further warned European leaders against underestimating Putin, while also backing continued military support for Ukraine.

“Underestimating Putin would be a mistake, just as it would be a mistake not to believe in our own strength,” she said.