Overview
- In a WDR interview, Angela Merkel backed continued military aid to Kyiv and said the EU is not using its diplomatic potential to help end Russia’s invasion.
- She said she tried to launch an EU–Russia dialogue in October 2021, but leaders failed to agree on a common approach.
- POLITICO reports growing pressure to appoint an EU special envoy for talks, with both Moscow and Kyiv signaling openness to a mediator.
- Merkel’s name has been floated for the envoy role, but she said no one has asked her and argued that only current powerholders can negotiate credibly.
- Past efforts weigh on the debate, as the Minsk deals she helped broker did not stop the fighting and her tenure drew criticism for deepening Germany’s reliance on Russian gas.