During a discussion at the WDR “Europeforum” in Berlin, former Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted with skepticism to the debate concerning a potential mediating role-either for herself or for her predecessor, Gerhard Schröder-in the Ukraine crisis.
Merkel urged that people recall the specific circumstances of 2014. She noted that at that time, the Crimea had been annexed, Russia’s military actions in the Donbass region had begun, and the Minsk negotiations were conducted by herself and President Hollande. Critical to those talks, she explained, was the fact that they were operating as heads of government and possessed political authority.
She voiced doubts about the feasibility of turning to any kind of “serving head of government” such as the Russian President. According to Merkel, power was the fundamental requirement. She concluded by saying that personally, she would not suggest asking a mediator to travel to Minsk for her to speak with Putin.