Germany aims to help Ukraine produce more weapons quickly, as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its negotiating position in peace talks with Russia to end their more than three-year-long war. This was stated on Monday by Germany’s top diplomat, Johann Wadephul.
“We see our task as helping Ukraine so that it can negotiate more strongly,” Wadephul said during a visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, accompanied by representatives of the German defense industry.
Condemnation of Russian Stance on Peace
International peace efforts led by the U.S. have failed to make progress in stopping the fighting. Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected a ceasefire and has not deviated from his war aims.
“When Putin talks about peace today, this is pure mockery,” Wadephul stated at a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. “His apparent readiness to negotiate is just a facade so far,” he added.
Russia’s war shows no signs of abating. Its destructive fighting along the approximately 1,000-kilometer front line and long-range attacks on Ukrainian civilian areas have killed thousands of troops and civilians.
Boosting Ukraine’s Defense Production
Ukraine, meanwhile, faces shortages of weapons and limited frontline forces, making international aid vital for its resistance against its neighbor’s larger military and economy. Germany has been Ukraine’s second-largest military supporter after the United States.
“We want to build new joint ventures so that Ukraine itself can produce more quickly and more for its defense, because your needs are great,” Wadephul also said.
The visit of the top German diplomat to Kyiv comes less than 48 hours after Russia launched its largest air attack against Ukraine over the weekend.
