Ex German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Ukraine: ‘Couldn't influence Putin…'

Russia-Ukraine War: Angela Merkel said she had tried to convene European talks with the Russian president and French president Emmanuel Macron in 2021.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her policy towards Russia prior to Moscow's February invasion of Ukraine, saying that she had run out of power to influence Russian president Vladimir Putin. Angela Merkel said she had tried to convene European talks with the Russian president and French president Emmanuel Macron in 2021.

Angela Merkel: Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel is seen during a speech,(AP File)

"But I didn't have the power to get my way," Angela Merkel told Spiegel news.

"Really everyone knew: in autumn she'll be gone," Angela Merkel added.

Angela Merkel left office in December after four terms and had paid a final visit to Moscow in August 2021.

She said, "The feeling was very clear: 'In terms of power politics you're finished'."

“For Putin, only power counts,” she added.

Angela Merkel also pointed out that in their final meeting, Vladimir Putin brought Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov with him but had previously only met one-to-one.

This comes as many criticised Angel Merkel and other European Union leaders for not having a tough approach towards the Kremlin. Even her party MP Roderich Kiesewetter said that Angela Merkel knew that Vladimir Putin was trying to split and weaken Europe, but she believed "soft power" was the right approach.

Although, Angela Merkel said she did not regret leaving office in December, because she felt her government was failing to make progress on the Ukraine crisis.