08/29/2025August 29, 2025Germany, France ‘Russia shows no intention to end its war of aggression’
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking in southern France, vowed further security assistance for Kyiv and more economic sanctions against Moscow in the face of increasingly intense Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.
Speaking in Toulon, Merz said he was “not surprised” at the Kremlin’s stalling, saying, “It is part of this Russian president’s strategy.”
“Earlier this week,” Merz continued, “it became clear to me that President Putin is unwilling to meet with President Zelensky and has set preconditions that are downright unacceptable.”
In a joint statement released after the two met, Germany and France said, “despite intensive international diplomatic efforts, Russia shows no intention to end its war of aggression against Ukraine.”
“In light of the massive Russian airstrikes on Ukraine and its population, and the consequences for our own security, France and Germany will therefore provide additional air defense to Ukraine,” the statement continued.
Both Berlin and Paris agreed “on the need to provide Ukraine with credible security guarantees” in the event that the war can be ended.
Neither nation, however, has committed to the idea of deploying troops to Ukraine.
The second prong of the joint approach, the statement said, was to “consider the effective implementation and further strengthening of sanctions essential to exert maximum pressure on Russia to end its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, and ultimately bring peace to Ukraine and Europe.”
Accordingly, Berlin and Paris will push for both EU and G7 sanctions targeting third-country businesses supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as part of their effort.