Merkel urges direct EU-Russia talks, rules out envoy role
Former German chancellor Angela Merkel urged the EU to negotiate directly with Moscow to end the Ukraine war and said she will not serve as an envoy, arguing Europe must combine military deterrence with diplomacy. While the idea of Merkel as an EU envoy has circulated, Brussels has resisted former leaders in such mediation; Zelenskiy stressed Europe’s involvement in talks, though officials cautioned that peace negotiations are not imminent, and Moscow signaled no clear signals of talks beyond maintaining contact with the United States.
