Angela Merkel: It’s time to end Ukraine war through diplomacy

By Holger Mehlig, dpa

 

BERLIN – Former chancellor Angela Merkel has appealed to Ukraine and the country’s supporters to consider diplomatic solutions to end Russia’s war against it.

“Russia must not win this war,” Merkel emphasized on Maybrit Illner’s talk show on public broadcaster ZDF on Thursday evening. It is “not only in the interest of Ukraine but also in our interest that Putin does not win this war.”

As chancellor, she tried everything to prevent such an escalation, she said. “This is a blatant violation of international law that he [Russian President Vladimir Putin] has committed with Ukraine.”

However, the former chancellor also stated that “one must always consider diplomatic solutions in parallel.” These did not need to be discussed right now but when the right time comes, which she did not specify.

Merkel stressed her support for what the German government is doing for Ukraine and suggested that it would not be easy for Ukraine to defeat its much larger neighbour Russia.

“Nevertheless, I support everything the international community is doing to put Ukraine in a good position.”

AfD benefited from asylum policy – but not only factor

Merkel, who in 2015 admitted some 1 million refugees, mainly from Syria and other war-torn countries, admitted that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) had “indeed become stronger” because of that.

But she noted when she left office in 2021, the AfD had between 10% and 11% support – but today it is 18%.

“So, something else must have happened in the meantime,” she said. It “did not benefit us, the democratic parties,” to argue so much over the refugee issue, Merkel said. This dispute certainly did not weaken the AfD.

The democratic parties must now offer solutions and not adopt the AfD’s agenda and language, she said, adding that there are many courageous people in Germany who are committed to freedom and democracy.

“And I hope there is a sense of proportion and balance in the political confrontation in the upcoming election campaign, so that the democratic forces emerge strengthened from it,” she said.

Merkel released her more than 700 page-book “Freedom. Memories 1954 – 2021,” on Tuesday.