Germany’s new Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul highlighted the EU–US unity needed to push Moscow to peace talks.
“We want to finally stop the deaths in Ukraine, we want an immediate ceasefire, and we want lasting peace,” he said before departing for an official visit to the United States.
Wadephul is expected to "continue Washington’s efforts" to find a diplomatic resolution to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“In order to get Putin to the negotiating table and make Russia engage in serious talks, we must keep up the pressure," he explained.
"We Europeans will continue to tighten sanctions, and the US Congress is also ready to impose additional ones.”
Germany, the UK, France, and the US no longer have restrictions on the range of Ukrainian strikes, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a live broadcast on German public television at the 27th WDR Europaforum on May 26.
Later, German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil clarified that there are no new agreements regarding long-range strikes on Russian territory.
“As far as range is concerned, I would say that there is no new agreement that goes beyond what the previous government had already decided,” Klingbeil said.
On May 27, Chancellor Merz publicly explained that his statement referred to a decision made some time ago.
“This issue has been under discussion for several months and even years… In that context, I described yesterday in Berlin what has already been happening for some time,” the chancellor said.