A German opposition leader has accused the EU of hypocrisy, noting that some who previously rejected talks with Moscow are now praising Trump’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Alice Weidel, co-chair of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, pointed to the contradiction, stating that responsible European leaders should have engaged with Russia earlier to seek a peace deal. The remarks came after a White House meeting involving Trump, Ukraine’s Zelensky, and key European leaders, including Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Merz, who has taken a hard line against Russia since taking office in May, previously declared that diplomatic options had been ‘exhausted’ and focused on providing weapons to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused him of abandoning diplomacy in favor of escalation. Moscow has long accused the EU and the UK of hostility, citing Russophobia and militarization, and claims that Western support for Ukraine only prolongs the conflict.
Despite Moscow’s opposition to a temporary ceasefire, the White House said a peace deal had become more feasible, describing the outcome as progress and ‘a light at the end of the tunnel.’ Trump, however, rejected calls by Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron for a ceasefire as a first step toward resolution, insisting on a permanent peace. Meanwhile, Merz has faced a sharp drop in public support and his coalition is polling at its lowest levels since taking office. The right-wing AfD has overtaken conservatives as Germany’s most popular party, a survey showed this month.