Merz: Moscow is not interested in serious negotiations on Ukraine

The meeting in New York between the foreign ministers of Germany and Russia has shown that Moscow is “not at all interested in serious negotiations” on Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared.

“We are making intensive diplomatic efforts,” Merz said at a press conference in Berlin, referring to Saturday’s unexpected meeting between German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, ahead of the latter’s speech at the United Nations.

The meeting was the first at that level since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Germany is currently one of Ukraine’s main military supporters.

However, according to Merz, the way Russia subsequently assessed the meeting showed that Moscow “is not at all interested in serious negotiations at the moment”.

After meeting Wadephul, Lavrov delivered a speech at the UN podium, where he accused Europe of opposing peace in Ukraine and declared that Moscow would achieve its goals in Ukraine “under any circumstances”.

“There was no change, but ultimately a mockery,” German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, commenting on the Russian position after the meeting.

“We can only, once again, call on the Russian government to sit at the negotiating table, to hold serious discussions about ending this war,” Merz said.

The German chancellor also promised that he would “do everything he can to continue helping Ukraine”, while warning that Russia “will have to pay the price” if it continues the war.

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, meanwhile, avoided direct criticism of Russia, stressing that both Moscow and Kyiv are good friends of Kazakhstan.

Tokayev also praised Vladimir Putin, whom he described as an “excellent statesman”, saying the Russian president “insists on respecting and protecting the principle of the territorial integrity of all states”.

However, he called for a freeze on military operations on Ukrainian territory, in order to give space to diplomacy and negotiations.

Meanwhile, Moscow bombed the Ukrainian capital again on Monday, killing one person and wounding several others, according to the authorities.

The same day, Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev met American officials in Washington to “continue constructive discussions on a peaceful solution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine”, according to a White House source.