To want Angela Merkel to take charge of the Ukraine situation?

[WaltzingToWalsingham]

Does anybody else wish that Angela Merkel could be persuaded to come out of retirement and sort out this problem with Putin? Despite his silly prank with the dog, I feel that Angela Merkel's blend of firmness and diplomacy is just the right approach for Putin, and he might listen to her. She is the only person I can think of who could put Putin across her knee (metaphorically speaking) and sort him out. I always had confidence in her and I miss her so much in these times of crisis.

Merkel's general approach was to watch and wait in any tricky situation until she could see where the thing was going, then reach a compromise. It was often wise. I'd argue now is not the time to watch, wait or compromise. we tried that, it's the policy which let Putin take Crimea. Every Ukrainian I've ever spoken to hates and fears Putin. I know that because during the annexation of Crimea many Ukrainians left and came to nearby nations, knowing it was the beginning of big trouble. When Putin made a land grab for Crimea, why wasn't he over Merkel's knee then, when he defied the Helsinki act among other treaties? The fact that Germany are now finally acting is a good thing. We need to look closer to home though, like waiving visas for Ukrainian refugees for one and giving back the 1.93m pounds from russian oligarchs to the Tory party.

Isn't Merkel partially responsible for this?

She should have told the German people if they didn't want nuclear power, they needed to accept a lower standard of living, instead she tried to fudge it by getting the energy from Russia, thus giving Putin more power.

@WaltzingToWalsingham

I do agree that Scholz et al are doing their best in a very difficult situation: this is no criticism of them. But I also think that Angela and Putin have history; they have worked together for years and I think there's a certain amount of mutual understanding and, perhaps, a grudging respect. As such, I think if anyone can talk Putin down from this, it's Angela.

I also think she's got the right blend of hawk/dove to get the best out of Putin - but I can see most PP's feel that she's been too soft with him previously, so perhaps I'm wrong about that. But I still think she could sweet talk him out of Ukraine in the short term.

Under Merkel's chancellorship, Putin invaded Georgia and annexed The Crimea. And she held back on serious sanctions because she was more interested in protecting trade. And it's her very dove-like behaviour that has encouraged him in his ambitions. I don't see how you take any respect away from their relationship other than you want to see some. She didn't sweet talk him out of his aggression with Georgia and his ongoing aggression towards Ukraine.

Putin didn't invade the Ukraine until Merkel was gone.
No, he just annexed the Crimea. Yes, he was like a pussycat under Merkels rule.

We need a meme of Putin being spanked over Merkel's knee now.
You mean the one where she's screaming, "harder, harder"?

I really doubt it OP. There seems to be a fair bit of talk about the impact various politicians are having or could have on the situation. But it all misses the point that this fundamentally is about Putin himself.

People are trying to look for reasons, apply logic, that type of thing. It's understandable but it's wrong.

Given that Merkel, during the course of her tenure:

1. Makde Germany unforgiveably reliant on Russian fossil fuels, and poured money into Putin's coffers, thus helping finance his invasion of Ukraine; and
2. Flagnrantly neglected German defence spending, leaving the country with its trousers figurately down at a moment of nuclear threat

• I don't believe her presence would help ameleriate the situation any.

God no. As PP have said, the seeds of this were sown on her watch; her and UvdL, who are entirely responsible for the parlous state of the German Armed Forces.