The government welcomes and supports all efforts aimed at achieving peace in Ukraine, but any agreements must guarantee the country’s sovereignty and reliable security. This was stated on Friday at a briefing by the German government spokesperson Stefan Cornelius.
“The Federal Government generally supports all efforts that can contribute to establishing peace in Ukraine. In this sense, we fundamentally support these efforts by the United States. We welcome and share the commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, as well as the willingness to provide Ukraine with reliable security guarantees,” Cornelius said.
At the same time, he declined to comment on the 28-point peace plan proposed by the U.S. or its individual points.
“The Federal Government does not provide detailed comments on these 28 points. The Federal Government has taken note of them… We may have our own opinion, but it is not necessarily expressed publicly,” the spokesperson said, adding that the negotiation process can only be successful if it maintains a certain level of confidentiality.
Cornelius also noted that Germany and its partners will be involved in the process, emphasizing that the United States has invited Ukraine and European countries to articulate their vital interests and participate in the ongoing process.
“The purpose of this exchange of views is to ensure that we can protect truly vital European and Ukrainian interests in the long term,” Cornelius stressed.
He reiterated Berlin’s position that “the starting point for reaching an agreement must be the line of contact, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine must continue to be capable of effectively defending the country’s sovereignty.” He also noted that any agreement concerning European states, the European Union, or NATO can only be concluded with the consent of European partners and on a consensus basis. These are the sequential steps and basic prerequisites on which the Federal Government conducts these negotiations, Cornelius stated.
He assured that the Federal Government is in constant dialogue with Ukraine, as well as with European allies and the U.S., to find a path toward a ceasefire agreement and to initiate a peace negotiation process. The official noted that it is obvious that ending the war in Ukraine requires the unity of both the United States and European allies.
“We are only at the beginning of this process, and therefore it is premature to make predictions about what will develop in the coming days and weeks… It has been and continues to be a consistent political premise and agreement that peace can only be just if it is achieved with the consent of Europeans,” Cornelius emphasized.
