German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has stated after talks with Libyan General Khalifa Haftar that Haftar is willing to agree to a ceasefire. Haftar is also expected to attend Chancellor Merkel's Libya summit in Berlin on Sunday.
The discussions in Berlin follow the failure of previous talks in Moscow. It was Haftar who spoiled those efforts. Last Monday in Moscow, attempts to bring the warring parties to a truce were unsuccessful. Haftar wrote to his "good friend" Putin that he is willing to continue the dialogue and would come to Moscow again for that purpose.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken an active role in the situation. Germany is a party without direct military involvement in the North African country. A large delegation of involved countries and international organizations has since traveled to Berlin, with the aim of launching a reconciliation process to ensure an independent Libya.
General Haftar refused to sign a ceasefire agreement in Moscow. Whether that will succeed in Berlin remains unclear. Haftar and his allies are fighting against the government of Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli. He receives support from Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Tripoli government is internationally recognized and receives military support from Turkey and several EU countries. For the summit, the countries actively involved in the Libyan conflict have been invited. The Kremlin announced that President Putin will participate in the Berlin conference, which is intended to lead to a peace settlement.
International observers have been concerned about Libya for some time. Should the negotiations fail again, there is a risk that the fighting on the ground will escalate. In that case, Libya could become a second Syria. So far, the international community has been mainly divided over Libya. EU countries support different groups and factions; the EU and the United States have differing views within NATO; the Russians and Americans support militias opposing each other, and the Libyans themselves are fighting fiercely among themselves.
Representing the European Union in Berlin are EU President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell. They aim to play a "strong and active" role in contributing to a political solution to the conflict. If the conference produces positive results, the European Commission is prepared to provide funding to ensure the "full implementation." Borrell has even stated that the EU is willing to consider deploying an EU peace mission if necessary.