The new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the existence of a joint European declaration on a ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine from Germany, France, Poland and other partners, UNN writes, citing tagesschau.
Details
According to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, there is a draft joint declaration on Ukraine from EU countries such as Germany, France and Poland, as well as other partners. According to him, this is "basically identical to the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire".
According to Merz, Europeans support this demand of US President Donald Trump. Trump informed him of his plan on Thursday, Merz said during his inaugural visit to Brussels. "I expressed my support for the fact that we also consider this to be correct from the point of view of the German federal government," Merz said.
In particular, Russia is now being urged to agree to a longer ceasefire, which should leave room for a real peace agreement, Merz said. "We will continue to support Ukraine in close cooperation with our European partners," he said. "And we are ready to exert further pressure on Russia if necessary."
If Russia does not embark on the path of genuine peace negotiations, we will not hesitate to "increase sanctions pressure together with our European partners and the United States of America," he stressed.
Addition
Earlier, Merz announced a visit to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, today, May 9, the new German Foreign Minister Johann Wadefuhl is in Ukraine together with other European ministers and diplomats.
According to Wadefuhl, Germany will continue to be one of Ukraine's most loyal supporters. "It will remain so, and we will make it clear in the coming days," Wadefuhl said in Tagesthemen.
Wadefuhl said that he would find out what Ukraine needs. "We will do what is necessary, and we will do it for as long as it is necessary, until Russia realizes that this war must end, that we must sit down at the negotiating table and that we must now quickly and consistently adhere to the ceasefire regime," he said.
According to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaya Kallas, the visit of EU foreign ministers to Ukraine will also ensure the final political approval of the planned international special tribunal, before which Russia can be held accountable for the war of aggression against Ukraine. "There will be no impunity," she said. Wadefuhl confirmed that the issue of the special tribunal will be key.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported that delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe arrived in Lviv. And that the agenda includes two important events: a meeting of EU foreign ministers and a meeting of the Core Group to establish a special tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine.