Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany, sharply criticized Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, stating that he is responsible for large-scale war crimes against Ukraine. The Chancellor made this statement during a recent interview, as reported by Spiegel, according to UNN.
Details
He (Putin – ed.) is a war criminal. He is probably the most serious war criminal of our time. There is no room for leniency here
The Chancellor stressed that there are no grounds to trust the Russian leader and called on the West to act more decisively. In his opinion, the only real leverage over the Kremlin is economic pressure.
We must create a basis for Russia to no longer be able to sustain its war economy. This is about economic exhaustion, which we must contribute to
He also noted that Putin currently shows no readiness for a ceasefire or peace negotiations with Ukraine. That is why, according to Merz, the international community must act through sanctions and tariffs against those who still trade with Russia.
Recall
German Chancellor Merz considers Geneva a suitable place for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia on ending the war. He will voice this proposal on September 4 in Paris at the "Coalition of the Willing" meeting.
Trump stated his disappointment with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in a phone conversation. He reiterated that a full-scale invasion of Ukraine would not have happened if he had been president.