A German lawmaker warns that Berlin’s approach could send Moscow the wrong signal and leave Ukraine facing tougher conditions at the negotiating table.
Roderich Kiesewetter, a CDU member of the Bundestag and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, believes that Germany’s current position on possible negotiations with Russia does not contribute to ending the war. In his view, this approach creates new threats, as Moscow may perceive it as a signal for further escalation.
In an interview, Kiesewetter stressed that Berlin should focus not only on finding a format for negotiations, but on providing practical support to Ukraine so that it can achieve victory and drive Russian troops from its territory.
That is why we must help Ukraine achieve victory and speak about it – as Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, chair of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, said at the opening of Café Kyiv: we must do everything possible to ensure that Ukraine can defeat Russia.
– Roderich Kiesewetter
Kiesewetter: Russia’s defeat in Ukraine must be the goal
According to the Bundestag member, Germany must clearly define Russia’s defeat on Ukrainian territory as its political goal. At the same time, Roderich Kiesewetter said that he does not see such a course being implemented consistently in German policy.
He criticized Berlin’s desire to prioritize securing negotiations with Moscow. In the politician’s view, the prerequisite for just solutions must be strengthening Ukraine, rather than allowing Russia to dictate its own terms.
Germany is pleased when it sits at the negotiating table, but it is not pleased by the prospect of working for Ukraine’s victory. We face a choice: do we want Ukraine to win? Or do we simply want to sit at the negotiating table with Russia, where Russia will dictate what happens next?
– Roderich Kiesewetter
Negotiations without pressure on Russia carry risks
Kiesewetter is convinced that focusing on negotiations without applying sufficient pressure on Russia damages Germany’s standing. He believes that such a policy could encourage the Kremlin to expand the war, counting on concessions from Ukraine’s partners.
The lawmaker also pointed to the discrepancy between statements of firm support for Ukraine and the actions of the German authorities. In his view, declarations are not enough unless they are accompanied by decisions that genuinely help Ukraine defend itself and win.
The Federal Republic of Germany makes very strong declarative statements: we stand firmly with Ukraine. But in practice, we do not. And that is a very great disappointment.
– Roderich Kiesewetter
Roderich Kiesewetter described Germany as one of the key countries in supporting Ukraine, given its economic capabilities and political influence in the European Union. He also recalled Germany’s historical responsibility for the deaths of millions of people in Ukraine during the Second World War.
In the lawmaker’s view, Germany must do more to ensure that Ukraine’s future does not become another burden on the German conscience. He stressed that supporting Ukraine and countering Russian aggression must be not merely a declared position, but a practical political course.