Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that isolating Russia isn’t possible long term even if President Vladimir Putin made a “big mistake” by invading Ukraine, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Despite her lack of publicity, Merkel continues to do business behind closed doors, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. According to a person familiar with her schedule,  "shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, she repeatedly called Putin’s office and talked to the Russian leader about a possible cease-fire. Chancellor Olaf Scholz was aware of the calls and was regularly informed of the results.

According to the source, Putin stopped responding to Merkel's phone calls about six weeks ago."

Merkel laid out the reasons why Ukraine cannot join NATO, saying the country was not yet ready for the move because of internal divisions and extensive corruption. She added that the move would also be the equivalent of a "declaration of war" for Putin.

According to people with knowledge of the matter, Scholz regularly sought Merkel's advice. The former and current German leaders seem to have reached the same conclusion: Germany should support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, but avoid a scenario in which Putin would be cornered.

Scholz recently emphasized that he wants to prevent Putin from winning in Ukraine, but he did not say that he wants Ukraine to win. A less confrontational tone seems to continue Merkel's cautious tradition.

Pointing to Russia's scale and nuclear arsenal, Merkel defended her relationship with Putin during her tenure and warned of the risks of Putin forming an alliance with China if he is cornered. “If Russia now cooperates with China,” she said, “I’m not sure that this will end well for us."