German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe must have a seat at the table in any talks on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to Politico Europe, drawing a bright line around who gets to discuss a country’s future and who does not.
Politico Europe reported on Nov. 3 that Merz also condemned a U.S. move to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20, calling it “completely unacceptable.” He said Ukraine’s fate must not be discussed without Ukraine.
The dispute is diplomatic, but its stakes are human. Any peace process would shape whether Ukrainians return home, remain displaced, or continue living under attack or occupation. Merz’s intervention appears aimed at preventing a settlement designed over Ukraine’s head and at reminding Washington that Europe, too, would live with the consequences.
What remains unclear from Politico Europe’s report is the setting in which Merz made the remarks, whether he was responding to a formal U.S. proposal, and how other European governments are positioning themselves. But the substance is clear enough: Merz is publicly resisting any framework in which major powers bargain over Ukraine without Ukraine present, and without Europe in the room.
Dua Mifsud 
Harvey Jr. 
Sophia Borg