Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev has suggested that the kidnapping of German chancellor Friedrich Merz could be conceivable, drawing a direct comparison to what he described as U.S. practices abroad.
Speaking to Russia’s state news agency TASS, Medvedev said such an act would be a realistic scenario and framed it as a response to recent international events.
Medvedev, now vice chairman of Russia’s National Security Council, referred to Merz as a neo-Nazi and claimed there were grounds to prosecute him in Germany. He added that abducting the German leader “could be an excellent twist” and dismissed potential consequences by saying German citizens were already “suffering needlessly.”
The same interview saw Medvedev issue a warning aimed at Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. He argued that European claims questioning the legitimacy of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolás Maduro exposed a “double standard,” and suggested similar arguments could be applied to Ukraine.
Medvedev said Zelensky should “certainly not relax,” noting that his presidential term had formally expired, even though Ukraine’s constitution allows him to remain in office during wartime.
Known in recent years for his hardline and provocative statements, Medvedev has repeatedly used sharp rhetoric against Ukraine and Western countries as tensions between Moscow and the West continue to escalate.
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