Overview
- In an interview posted by Hungarian portal Partizan, Angela Merkel said she proposed with Emmanuel Macron in June 2021 that the European Union negotiate directly with Vladimir Putin, but the idea lacked support and was dropped.
- Merkel stated that opposition came mainly from the Baltic states and also from Poland, which she said feared losing a common policy on Russia.
- Polish and Baltic figures condemned her remarks, with critics calling them irresponsible and warning they align with Kremlin narratives about dividing Europe.
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov echoed Merkel’s framing by blaming Brussels’ approach on Baltic and Polish policies, a response highlighted in regional coverage.
- Polish fact-checker Demagog noted that Merkel did not assign responsibility for Russia’s invasion to Poland or the Baltics and cautioned that some media overstated her words.