Merz Says He Would Not Shy Away From Talking With Putin if Putin Attends the December G20 Summit
Hagen, Germany — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on November 8, during a citizens' dialogue hosted by the Westfalenpost newspaper in Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia, that a German chancellor will at some point have to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that if Putin attends the Group of 20 leaders' summit in Miami in December, he would not shy away from an opportunity for a conversation. Asked whether such a conversation could take place in December, Merz replied: "That is not ruled out."
Merz noted that President Donald Trump has invited Putin, but that Putin's attendance is not yet confirmed. The G20 summit is scheduled for December 14-15 in Miami. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has previously said Putin is open to dialogue with everyone, including Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Merz, who took office in May 2025, has not yet held a phone call or a one-on-one meeting with Putin. As recently as November 3, appearing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin, he said Zelenskyy should also be present if Ukraine is discussed, calling it "completely unacceptable" for third countries to discuss Ukraine's future without Ukraine itself. His latest remarks show that, while holding to that condition, he is open to speaking with Putin directly.
Related: Merz meets Zelenskyy in Berlin, urges Russia to negotiate a ceasefire seriously in Abu Dhabi
(Source: Westfalenpost)
Source: Westfalenpost
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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