Merkel is not being truthful. She and The French traveled to Moscow many times. They, with Putin put together the Minsk II Agreement between the installed Kiev regime (Yats at the time I believe) and the leaders of the 2 leaders of Donetsk & Luhansk Regions of Donbas. After brokering the peace agreement Merkel did nothing and Kiev kept bombing/shelling Ukrainians living in Donbas.