Following the recent Ukraine-focused summit in Washington, Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the BSW party, has expressed skepticism regarding the commitment of European allies and the Ukrainian President to pursuing a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
In remarks to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”, Wagenknecht questioned whether the “coalition of the unwilling” within Europe and President Zelenskyy genuinely seek a cessation of hostilities. She asserted that compromise remains limited on all sides, with maximalist demands – such as a ceasefire as a precondition for negotiations – hindering progress towards a lasting peace and prolonging the conflict.
Wagenknecht characterized the Washington meeting hosted by the US President as a “summit of quiet hope – not because of, but despite, the Europeans”. She welcomed the prospect of a potential meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents, stating that President Putin’s willingness to engage in bilateral talks with President Zelenskyy would represent a positive development.
Looking ahead to future efforts to resolve the Ukraine war, Wagenknecht advocated for the inclusion of countries such as Brazil, South Africa, China and India in any peace talks. She argued that these nations have consistently demonstrated a serious commitment to mediation and conflict resolution and that addressing security guarantees would be unfeasible without their participation. Wagenknecht emphasized that the deployment of Bundeswehr or other NATO troops to Ukraine is not a path to peace, suggesting instead that neutral nations should provide security guarantees.