In brief: Berlin says contacts between Merz and Putin could follow the Abu Dhabi talks, while Moscow says its next steps will depend on briefings to the Russian president.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz could hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin following negotiations in Abu Dhabi.
Government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said an understanding on basic principles had emerged from the discussions in the UAE, potentially opening the way for further contacts, according to Die Zeit.
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Kornelius said that understanding was being conveyed to Putin and could provide a basis for subsequent conversations.
According to Kornelius, European countries, the US, and Ukraine agreed on four principles for further negotiations. Among them is that a peace agreement for Ukraine must come before broader discussions about European and transatlantic security.
Any agreement would also require the consent of all NATO allies, he added.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, said Putin was open to contacts with Merz and EU leaders. Merz previously said he would not rule out meeting Putin if the Russian president attended the G20 summit in Miami in December.
The comments followed two days of US-mediated talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi. Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said the discussions produced understanding on some issues but left others unresolved. He described a possible future European security framework as a central topic.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Putin would determine Moscow’s next negotiating position after receiving reports from Medinsky’s delegation and US President Donald Trump’s envoys.
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Lavrov endorsed the three-way negotiating format involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US. He also spoke positively about the Ukrainian delegation’s willingness to engage in substantive discussions, while accusing President Volodymyr Zelensky of pursuing his own political agenda.
Lavrov nevertheless signaled no departure from Moscow’s existing demands, saying Russia would continue pursuing the objectives Putin outlined in June 2024.
Trump’s envoys arrived in Moscow on Thursday to discuss the outcome of the Abu Dhabi negotiations with Putin.
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