6/17/23, 11:35 AM Putin responds to Merkel bombshell — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union

Putin responds to Merkel bombshell

The President believes that the former German leader's remarks
justified Moscow's offensive in Ukraine

A serviceman of Russian Airborne Troops takes part in a join combat training in

the course of Russia's military operation. ©  Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is “disappointed” by former German

chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent comments regarding the Minsk agreements – the now
defunct roadmap for peace in Ukraine – which she admitted was a ruse to buy Ukraine
more time to build up its military.

“What can you say to that?” Putin said during a press conference on Friday, adding that he
was shocked to hear such a confession from the former German leader, having believed
that Russia’s partners in Berlin “treated us with sincerity.”

The Russian leader said Merkel’s remarks once again prove that launching a military
operation in Ukraine was the correct decision. 

“As it turns out, nobody intended to fulfil any part of the Minsk agreements,” Putin said,
recalling that former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko also recently admitted that he
had no intention of adhering to the documents when he signed them in 2014 and 2015.

“I thought the other participants of this agreement were at least honest, but no, it turns out
they were also lying to us and only wanted to pump Ukraine with weapons and get it
prepared for a military conflict,” Putin said. “Apparently, we got our bearings too late, to be
honest. Maybe we should have started all this [the military operation] earlier, but we just
hoped that we would be able to solve it within the framework of the Minsk agreements.”

https://www.rt.com/russia/567967-putin-thinks-shouldve-started-sooner/ 1/2
6/17/23, 11:35 AM Putin responds to Merkel bombshell — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union

Vladimir Putin said Merkel’s admission raises an

important question about trust. “Trust is already almost
at zero, but after such statements, how can we possibly
negotiate? About what? Can we make any agreements
with anybody and where are the guarantees?” Putin
asked, while acknowledging that some sort of
agreement will have to be reached eventually.

Putin’s comments follow Angela Merkel’s interview with

Read more Merkel has admitted the newspaper Die Zeit on Wednesday, in which she
deception over Minsk peace deal – said the actual purpose of the 2014-2015 Minsk
 Russia agreements was to stall for time and allow Kiev to build
up its military potential for a future confrontation with
Russia.

Moscow has expressed shock over the admission, with Russia’s Foreign Ministry claiming
that Merkel’s words are legitimate grounds for a tribunal.

The Minsk agreements, brokered by Germany and France, were supposed to be a

roadmap for peace in the war-torn country, giving the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk
special status within the Ukrainian state, whose rule they rejected after the 2014 Maidan
coup.

Russian has explained that its current military offensive in Ukraine was largely prompted by
Kiev’s failure to implement the terms of the accords.

https://www.rt.com/russia/567967-putin-thinks-shouldve-started-sooner/ 2/2