Few people have been more influential in the last decade of European politics than the former German chancellor Angela Merkel. The former president was one of the figures and main promoters of the European Union in the world and set the agenda, which allowed Germany to be brought back to the center of political discussion. However, according to her, she did not have all the reach that she needed.
During an interview with the magazine “Der Spiegel”, Angela Merkel She made several comments about her last visit to Vladimir Putin in 2021, in which she felt she was “finished in political terms”, in addition to adding that “for Putin, the only thing that works is power.” According to the former German president, she felt that the war that is currently hitting Eastern Europe “was not a surprise”, after denouncing that the deal reached in 2015, after the invasion of Crimea, “was hollow ”.
During the interview, the former chancellor stated that there were agreements with Emmanuel Macron to hold independent talks with Vladimir Putin but, unfortunately, they did not come to fruition. “I did not have the strength to be able to continue with this project because everyone knew that by autumn I would not be there anymore,” he said. politics. Angela Merkel he felt his time in Europe had come to an end when his Russian counterpart went to their last meeting with the foreign minister, whereas previously it had always been a face-to-face discussion.
However, the German does not regret having stepped aside, because she feels that, in her last years in office, her country’s policy had stagnated and she could not make the progress she believed was necessary. Mainly he stated that “a new way of thinking about things” was needed, not only in relation to Ukraine, but also in different conflicts in places like Moldova, Georgia, Syria and Libya.
changes in german politics
The replacement of Angela Merkel It arrived a little less than a year ago with Olaf Scholz, which indicated the beginning of a new era in the politics of the Teutonic country. One of the most controversial visits the president made was to China, becoming the first G7 leader to visit the eastern nation in three years, something that brought complications in his own coalition.
“I told President Xi the importance of China exercising its influence in this very delicate situation,” he told the media and He stressed that they also discussed with their peers the need for them to work together in these “times of change and confusion”, for the sake of world peace..
