Merkel may act as a mediator in negotiations between the EU and Russia — Spiegel
12 May 19:27
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel is considered the best candidate to serve as a mediator in negotiations between the EU and Russia. This is reported by *Der Spiegel* , according to"Komersant Ukrainian".
“Political circles note that Merkel personally knows both Putin and Zelenskyy well and is fluent in Russian. They also point out that she no longer holds public office and is fluent in Russian,” the publication writes.
At the same time, Merkel’s candidacy remains controversial. Since the end of her term in Germany, there has been repeated criticism of Berlin’s overly soft policy toward Moscow in previous years.
“Merkel’s office told Spiegel that she had not received any official requests regarding a possible mediating role. They did not specify whether the former chancellor would be willing to join the negotiation process,” the publication notes.
The publication added that European countries continue to discuss possible negotiations with Russia, given the unsuccessful experience of U.S. mediation. EU members want to participate in negotiations with Moscow.
At the same time, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi are also being mentioned as possible candidates for the role of mediator.
In addition, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas previously stated that it would be “not very wise” to allow the Kremlin to dictate the choice of negotiator. Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, noted that Europe’s mediator must enjoy broad approval at the European level, particularly from Eastern Europe and the Baltic states.
The discussion intensified after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a possible mediator in contacts with Kyiv. However, this idea drew sharp criticism in both the EU and Ukraine.
Against this backdrop, European political circles began searching for other figures who might command the respect of Moscow, Kyiv, and Western allies alike.
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Other Candidates for Negotiators
As a reminder, on May 9, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin stated that former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder would be suitable for the role of Europe’s negotiator with Russia.
As previouslyreported by "Komersant Ukrainian", Berlin rejected this proposal. On behalf of Brussels, the proposal was also rejected by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga also stated that he does not support the candidacy of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder for the role of EU negotiator with Russia.
Earlier, it was also reported that Germany’s ruling coalition is considering the option of having German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier serve as the EU’s representative in peace talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
European Council President António Costa announced on May 7 that EU leaders are ready to begin negotiations with Russia. He emphasized that Europe is ready to participate in all negotiations to end the war and has received the support of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On May 11, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas noted that EU foreign ministers will discuss potential negotiations with Russia, the aggressor country, during an informal meeting in Cyprus on May 27–28.
