Merkel faces sharp backlash after linking Poland and Baltics to Russia dialogue blocks

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent remarks implicating Poland and the Baltic states for allegedly blocking EU dialogue with Putin have triggered a storm of criticism. Many observers view her comments as an attempt to partially shift blame for Russia’s invasion onto Eastern European nations. 

In an interview with Hungarian media outlet Partizán, Merkel said she had sought in 2021 to create a new diplomatic format for the European Union to directly engage with Putin — a move she claims was opposed primarily by the Baltic states and Poland. 

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna countered that Russia alone bears responsibility for the war, attributing it to imperial ambitions and refusing any shared blame. 

Former Latvian Prime Minister Krisjānis Kariņš responded by saying he had warned Merkel at the time that one cannot negotiate with Putin in good faith, and expressed surprise that her views remain unchanged. 

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski dismissed Merkel’s narrative as no more credible than her memoirs and pointed out Poland’s past objections to the Nord Stream project.