Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel insists she never accused Poland or the Baltic states of contributing to the Ukraine war, calling the claim a misunderstanding and “fake news”.
Accusations Emerge from ‘Bild’
A German newspaper, Bild, published what it said was an interpretation of a fragment from Merkel’s autobiography and a recent interview with Hungarian outlet Partizan. The article claimed that she blamed Poland and the Baltic states for the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The report sparked outrage in Germany and abroad.
Merkel Declares the Claims Wrong
In an interview with Phoenix’s “phoenix persönlich”, Merkel called the story “fake news” and said it was an “absolutely wrong interpretation” of what she had said. She stressed that no blame was assigned to Poland or the Baltic states.
Context of the Autobiography Passage
Merkel explained that the passage, from her book *Freedom*, was taken out of context. In 2021 she proposed a new format of dialogue with Moscow, but faced opposition, mainly from Poland and the Baltic states, according to her interview with the Hungarian journalist. She clarified that this opposition “does not imply blaming” any country.
Stance on Responsibility and the War
She reiterated that the war “broke out, changed our world, and is an aggression of the Russian Federation, of Vladimir Putin’s Russia.” When asked whether she saw any shared blame from Poland or the Baltic states, Merkel replied, “No, we all were unable to prevent the war. This is how the situation looks.”
Response to Former Foreign Minister’s Claim
Merkel dismissed former Social‑Democratic foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel’s suggestion that her leadership would have prevented the war as pure speculation. She noted that the pandemic had collapsed existing dialogue formats with Russia and that, for many years, she recognized Putin as a serious threat.
