German foreign minister doubts Putin wants a just peace

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul believes that Russia’s actions cast doubt on Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s willingness to achieve a just peace in Ukraine.

As reported by German international broadcaster and media outlet DW, Wadephul urged Putin to hold bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as soon as possible, warning Moscow of new sanctions.

Wadephul declared that if Putin thought he could simply play for time, then he was mistaken.

Wadephul also said that pressure on Russia must continue, which is why the European Union is preparing its 19th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation.

He insisted that it is now up to Putin to prove he is genuinely ready to work towards achieving a just peace in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Wadephul noted that after everything they had witnessed, there were serious doubts about this, adding that Kyiv had already taken a step forward by agreeing to peace talks without any additional preconditions.

Meanwhile, he stressed that one thing was clear: no negotiations would be conducted behind the backs of Ukrainians, and that this was a shared European promise.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently stated that diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine are still facing significant obstacles.

The majority of German citizens do not believe that their Chancellor can meaningfully influence the US president on issues related to the war in Ukraine.