Kremlin negotiator mocks Merz's in a leaked conversation between European leaders

Russian diplomat Kirill Dmitriev, who represents the Kremlin in its interactions with the United States regarding the "peace plan", has mocked remarks attributed to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a leaked conversation between European leaders.

Dmitriev seized on a phrase Merz supposedly used in the conversation, saying that they are "playing games, both with you [Zelenskyy] and with us", meaning Ukraine and Europe.

"Chancellor Merz accuses the Americans of 'playing games'… Dear Merz, you are not even in the game. You disqualified yourself by warmongering, peace sabotage, unrealistic proposals, Western Civilisation suicide, migration and stubborn stupidity," the Kremlin negotiator wrote on X.

This remark was made reference to a transcript of a telephone conversation obtained by Spiegel, involving EU leaders, the NATO secretary general and Zelenskyy. In the conversation, the leaders of France and Germany voiced direct concerns that the United States might "betray Ukraine and Europe" in the negotiations it is conducting with the Kremlin regarding a potential peace agreement.

According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal, European leaders in that conversation also warned Zelenskyy against making concessions to Russia without reliable US security guarantees.

Read also an article from Brussels: Security at a crossroads. How US and Russia push for a new European order through "peace" in Ukraine