Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Ukraine and its allies to consider diplomatic means to end the war.
“Russia must not win this war. What Putin has done to Ukraine is a gross violation of international law,” Merkel said during a speech at the ZDF talk show hosted by Maybrith Ilner.
At the same time, she emphasized that diplomatic settlement options should be considered even in the current circumstances. “These solutions may not be needed immediately, but when the time comes, all parties – Ukraine and its allies – should discuss them together,” the former Chancellor emphasized.
Merkel also noted that the decision to block Ukraine’s accession to NATO in 2008 was justified. According to her, Russia’s aggression could have started even earlier if this step had been taken. “It was obvious that Putin would not remain indifferent to Ukraine’s membership in NATO,” she added.
The former Chancellor emphasized that without this decision, Ukraine would have been much less prepared for a large-scale invasion than it was in February 2022.
