MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. A Russian lawmaker has slammed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s threats to augment sanctions pressure on Russia if a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky is not organized as a cheap political manipulation.
"Merz’s threats to step up pressure on Russia if the Russian president doesn’t meet with Zelensky are nothing but a cheap political manipulation. Saying that the ball is in Moscow’s court, the German chancellor leaves aside the very essence of the settlement process. The Russian side has repeatedly stated that such a meet needs to be thoroughly prepared," Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the international committee of the Russian State Duma, or lower house of parliament, and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), wrote on his Telegram channel.
He recalled that the latest round of the Russian-Ukrainian talks had yielded a decision to establish working groups on political, military, and humanitarian matters. "But the Ukrainian side keeps on impeding the process," he noted, adding that this is the way the "coalition of the willing" is acting too.
He emphasized that threats and speculations would not bring the end of the conflict in Ukraine any closer. "Both Merz and [French President Emmanuel] Macron, and all the rest should understand this. The best they can do is not to hinder," the Russian lawmaker added.
