The key facts

  • The German government would only consider a Merz–Putin meeting if it is substantive
  • Merz previously did not rule out contact at the G20 summit in Miami in December
  • Berlin demands that Moscow show readiness to discuss peace in Ukraine

Berlin's condition

A meeting between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Russian President Vladimir Putin is possible only if it 'makes sense.' This was stated by a German government spokesperson in Berlin, as reported by the TV channel n-tv. According to the official spokesperson, Berlin is 'in principle ready' for such contact, but a 'sham meeting' is not planned: Moscow must demonstrate its readiness to discuss peace in Ukraine.

Context: the G20 summit in Miami

The government's statement clarifies the position that Merz himself had previously outlined. The Chancellor said that he would not shy away from meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the December G20 summit in Miami, should the Russian leader attend, explaining that 'in politics, you have to talk even to people whose views are completely different from yours.' Thus, Berlin's position consists of two elements: readiness for personal contact remains, but it is tied to substantive conditions rather than to the mere fact of both leaders being present at the summit. Earlier, the Russian ambassador also commented on the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Merz, but the details of that assessment are not given in the publication.