Merz proposes creating contact group of European, NATO countries for peace plan
Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor candidate from the CDU
party, proposed forming a contact group of France, Poland, the UK, and Germany
to develop a joint position on ending the war with Russia, the TV channel We are Ukraine reported on Dec. 9.
“I have a proposal to create a Contact Group with Germany,
France, Poland, and the UK—four major European and NATO countries—so they can
exchange views and, together with the U.S., develop a common vision. I think we
should discuss how you perceive this idea,” Merz said during his visit to
Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly supported
the initiative.
“I support your proposal to create a Contact Group. To be
honest, we’ve already organized it. The countries you mentioned are already
involved, and we expect Denmark to represent the Nordic group. We count on all
of them, and Denmark could represent the Nordic team. We want to hold such a
meeting in December. You see, we already share many thoughts,” Zelenskyy said.
Merz’s initiative
In early October 2024, Merz proposed creating the contact
group of Germany, France, Poland, and the UK to work on proposals for the
European postwar order after the war in Ukraine, Reuters
reported.
The politician also outlined two necessary conditions for
cooperation and proposal development.
First, Merz said, peace proposals should not be advanced
solely by Germany, but only in close coordination with these European partners.
Second, in Eastern and Central Europe, especially in
Ukraine, “there should never be any impression that the political map of Europe
is being redrawn behind their backs,” Merz concluded.
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