On Monday, June 30, Johann Wadephul arrived in Kyiv to discuss support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Germany will not shift its focus away from Ukraine due to emerging global crises and considers Vladimir Putin’s alleged readiness for negotiations—amid intensifying Russian attacks—to be mockery and deception.
This was stated by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul during a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha in Kyiv.
“When Putin talks about peace today, it is pure mockery and derision. His supposed willingness to negotiate is nothing more than a facade. He wants to subjugate all of Ukraine and simultaneously spread fear across Europe,” Wadephul said.
He noted that Putin has further escalated attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, and this brutality demonstrates that the Kremlin’s goal is to attack not only Ukraine’s democracy, but also its morality, resilience, and determination to resist.
“You are resisting very bravely. Putin sees this and is counting on our attention to wane, to shift toward new crises. That’s what the last few weeks have shown. So I say this clearly: In Germany, Putin will not succeed. We stand firmly by Ukraine and will support you for as long as it takes,” the German foreign minister emphasized.
Wadephul added that Berlin will continue increasing its military support for Ukraine. He recalled that Germany has allocated an additional €1.9 billion in its 2025 budget for modern air defense, equipment, and ammunition.
