German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke to parliament on July 9, stating that diplomatic means for resolving the Russia-Ukraine war “have been exhausted.” He followed by reaffirming his commitment to assist Kiev.
The statement comes on the heels of the failure of the recent Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul, which failed to reach any progress toward ending the war. The embattled nations came to a new agreement on prisoner exchanges.
According to the Guardian, Merz went on to say, “When a criminal regime openly questions another country’s right to exist with military force and sets out to destroy the political order of freedom on the entire European continent, the federal government I lead will do everything in its power to prevent this.”
Merz’s comments follow Vladmir Putin confirming his readiness for a third round of peace talks, in which he suggested that both countries discuss details of their peace memorandums, which remain “absolutely opposite.” Putin hopes that these talks could bring the nations closer to finding agreeable terms.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov hopes that the next round of talks will be a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, who has been notably absent in the previous talks, preferring to send lower-level officials.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is working toward bringing Zelenskyy and Putin together, with President Donald Trump potentially joining the talks, which he has affirmed his openness toward attending.
Putin said on June 27 that it was “quite possible” that a meeting between him and Donald Trump could take place.
Diplomatic tensions persist between Kiev and Moscow, but diplomacy has been ongoing. Merz appears to be escalating these tensions while diplomatic channels are still open, with Turkey willing to facilitate them.
Merz went as far as to condemn members of his Parliament, affirming his commitment to Ukraine “even against the pressure of the political left and the pro-Russian right in this house.”
German support for Ukraine is critical for their war effort, as the United States has shifted its focus to its own military readiness, pausing arms shipments to Ukraine. Trump, however, has ordered the resumption of some supplies, especially Patriot interceptors that Ukraine needs against increased missile attacks from Russia.
Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) leader Alice Weidel attacked Merz for breaking election promises while posturing abroad and leaving the reins of domestic politics to his party’s junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Germany of deepening its involvement in the conflict, warning the country risks repeating historical mistakes leading to its own downfall. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also condemned Germany’s actions, accusing Berlin of competing with France to escalate the war.
Merz’s aggressive rhetoric may affect the negotiation table, as Russia considers the implications of European hostility and heightened arms supplies. Russia so far has been dedicated to maintaining this four-year conflict, and it’s uncertain if European hawkishness will make Putin reconsider his resolve in this war.
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