The diplomatic engagement comes at a crucial moment after Russia executed a massive attack on Kyiv over the weekend and threatened further “consistent and systemic strikes.” The Russian foreign ministry urged diplomats and foreign citizens to leave the city “as soon as possible,” while the EU’s ambassador to Ukraine rejected the demand, saying, “We stay in Kyiv. We stay with Ukraine.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated Friday that America would backtrack from Ukraine peace talks it was leading, saying they “were not fruitful, unfortunately” and adding, “If someone else would like to handle it, they should.”
European officials have in recent weeks discussed whether to reach out directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin for negotiations, with names such as former German Chancellor Angela Merkel being floated for the role — although she said she wouldn’t be the right person.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told German daily Welt earlier this month that the E3 group was “making a fresh attempt to re-enter negotiations — with Europe playing a greater role in the coming weeks and months.” Merz hosted peace talks for Ukraine in Berlin in December, involving the Americans but not the Russians, with little progress.
The new E3 talks with Umerov in Berlin come amid simmering tensions between Merz and Zelenskyy after the German chancellor issued a letter offering Ukraine a downsized “associate membership” before potentially becoming a full EU member at a later stage. The Ukrainian president rejected Merz’s proposal over the weekend, saying that “Ukraine’s place in the European Union must also be complete, full and equal.”
Merz had previously suggested that this associate membership could be granted to Ukraine as a concession, allowing Zelenskyy to gain public support for ceding Russian-occupied territories as part of a peace settlement.