Merkel clarifies remarks on Polish, Baltic role in Ukraine war

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel has made it clear that she does not blame Poland and the Baltic states for Russia's attack on Ukraine, describing the view as "fake news."

A passage from her autobiography “Freedom” was placed "in the wrong context," Merkel told public broadcaster Phoenix on Thursday.

The extract stated that the Baltic states and Poland rejected a dialogue format with Russia proposed by Merkel in 2021.

However, this was "not associated with an assignment of blame," Merkel insisted.

"This war broke out, it has changed our world, it is an aggression by the Russian Federation, the Russian Republic, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin," Merkel said.

"None of us - everyone, me, everyone else - was able to prevent this war."

Regarding a statement by former foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel that there would have been no war in Ukraine if she had remained in power, Merkel said this was "completely speculative."

She said that the coronavirus pandemic had a major impact because the usual dialogue formats collapsed, and she was not able to speak to Putin regularly.

This coronavirus effect was "even more difficult when dealing with countries that are not democratically governed," she said.

However, it had been clear to her for "many, many years" that there was a serious danger from Putin, she said.