“The situation that we are seeing around the preparations for the Normandy format summit look unprecedented from the diplomatic point of view. …
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs the meeting to demonstrate to his voters that he is doing everything he can to achieve peace. Emmanuel Macron needs the meeting as a confirmation of his claim to be a European leader. It is less needed by Angela Merkel – although the chancellor has an interest in the hope that the Normandy format will lead to peace – she is well aware that the summit in Paris will not bring peace any closer.