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Germany's Merz says EU willing to talk to Russia, but will not hold 'parallel' talks
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 6, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 6, 2026
Home > Headlines > Germany's Merz says EU willing to talk to Russia, but will not hold 'parallel' talks
Quick Summary
The EU is open to talks with Russia to end the Ukraine war but will not engage in parallel negotiations, according to German Chancellor Merz.
EU Open to Dialogue with Russia, But No Parallel Negotiations
EU's Approach to Russia
BERLIN, Feb 6 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that the European Union is always willing to hold talks with Russia in an effort to end the war in Ukraine, but will not "open any parallel channels of communication."
Chancellor Merz's Statements
"We are, of course, always ready to hold talks with Russia," Merz told reporters in Abu Dhabi. "Currently, coordinated talks are taking place here in Abu Dhabi ... if we can contribute to making these talks even better, even more successful, then we will do so. But we will not open any parallel channels of communication."
Current Negotiation Context
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Friederike Heine, Editing by Linda Pasquini)
Key Takeaways
- •EU is open to dialogue with Russia to end the Ukraine conflict.
- •Chancellor Merz emphasizes no parallel communication channels.
- •Current talks are coordinated in Abu Dhabi.
- •EU aims to enhance the success of ongoing negotiations.
- •Merz's statements highlight EU's diplomatic stance.
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