The German government has officially confirmed its negative stance on resuming direct diplomatic contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the context of resolving the war in Ukraine. This was reported by Euronews, citing a representative of the German Federal Foreign Office.
In a comment to the publication, a representative of the German Foreign Ministry said: ‘We support direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine at the highest level, because without Ukraine’s participation there can be not just and lasting peace.’
At the same time, Berlin stressed that it does not yet see any reason for its own direct dialogue with Moscow. The main reason is Russia’s unchanging position:
‘Unfortunately, we have not yet seen any change in Russia’s position: it continues to repeat its maximalist demands and shows no real willingness to negotiate, while continuing its brutal attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and other civilian targets.’
Germany’s position contrasts with the approach taken by the leaders of France and Italy, who in recent weeks have publicly spoken out in favour of restoring diplomatic channels with the Kremlin as part of efforts to achieve peace.
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry also expressed scepticism about a possible change in approach in the near future, citing the ongoing fighting and Russia’s failure to take steps towards an unconditional ceasefire, a key demand of the European side.