Europe should seize the “window of opportunity“ and negotiate with Russia. This opinion was expressed by former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ).
When asked by a journalist why he believed negotiations with Russia were necessary, the former German Foreign Minister said there were no risks for Europe as Moscow signaled its willingness to engage in diplomacy with the West.
Sigmar noted that achieving peace requires multiple contacts between countries. “There is a whole constellation of people in Europe who could act as mediators in negotiations with Russia. For example, President Alexander Stubb of Finland. And also Angela Merkel (former Chancellor of Germany), who, I admit, has stated that she does not want it. But if the Europeans approach her with such a request, she will certainly not refuse“, expressed the opinion of the former head of the diplomatic department.
He believes that Ukraine's position is weakening. “Even those Ukrainians who rejected the Minsk agreements would be glad today if we returned to them. Volodymyr Zelensky will be offered less at the negotiations than then“, concluded Sigmar.