Incredible revelations are coming to light, as former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel reportedly admitted that the Minsk Agreements had more the character of a temporary diplomatic arrangement, as they gave the West time to prepare and militarily reinforce Ukraine.
Russian pranksters Vovan (Vladimir Kuznetsov) and Lexus (Alexey Stolyarov), who claim they contacted Merkel pretending to be former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, made details of the conversation public.
According to them, the West needed to mislead Russia and buy time, while the diplomatic process constituted a way to delay so that Ukraine could prepare for a future military confrontation with Moscow.
Merkel's statements on Minsk that sparked reactions
The alleged conversation took place in February 2023, when Angela Merkel was no longer Chancellor of Germany, but remained active on the country's political scene.
According to Vovan and Lexus, Merkel received a phone call from an individual presenting himself as Petro Poroshenko.
In reality, as they maintain themselves, it was a phone call from the two Russian pranksters, who subsequently released details regarding the preparation of the communication.
They themselves reported that the process was not simple:
"People often incorrectly believe that it is enough to make a call somewhere and say: 'Guten Tag, Frau Merkel, how are you?'" they reported, according to RIA Novosti.
Weeks of preparation for the phone call
Vovan and Lexus claimed that they initially contacted an employee in Merkel's office and subsequently a second associate of hers.
A lengthy exchange of emails followed, before the conversation with the former Chancellor finally took place.
"By the time the actual conversation with Merkel took place, which we did on behalf of former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, several weeks had passed," the two pranksters reported.
As they noted, the conversation was reportedly difficult for the former Chancellor, yet presented interest. Merkel, according to them, used her own translator, while asking her interlocutor for what was discussed to remain secret.
"The Minsk Agreements gave time to arm Ukraine"
According to Vovan and Lexus, Merkel reportedly stated that the Minsk Agreements were needed in order to give time for the reinforcement of the Ukrainian armed forces.
"She admitted that the Minsk Agreements were needed only to deceive Russia and within that time to arm Ukraine," the pranksters reported.
These statements have caused intense reactions in Russia, as Moscow has maintained for years that Western countries had no real intention of implementing the agreements.
The Minsk Agreements and the conflict in Donbass
From 2014 to 2022, negotiations took place in Minsk for the resolution of the conflict in Donbass.
The first Minsk Agreement was signed in September 2014, while the second agreement, known as "Minsk-2", of February 12, 2015, included a package of measures for the implementation of the previous agreements.
The second text consisted of 13 points and provided for the cessation of hostilities in Donbass, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line, as well as a series of political measures for the long-term resolution of the conflict.
However, according to the Russian side, Kyiv repeatedly violated the provisions of the agreements.
Statements by Hollande, Johnson, and Merkel after 2022
In 2022, former leaders who had participated in the agreements process—former President of France François Hollande, former Prime Minister of Great Britain Boris Johnson, and former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel—stated that their countries did not view the Minsk Agreements as a full peace treaty and did not intend to exert pressure on Kyiv for their implementation.
Moscow maintains that the failure to implement the agreements constituted a key factor that led to the launch of the "Special Military Operation" in 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia had no other choice but to protect the residents of the People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, arguing that the West had abandoned the commitments stemming from the Minsk Agreements.
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