Berlin (dpa -AfX) – The federal government insists that Russia must first agree to a ceasefire before peace negotiations to end the war with Ukraine. “That the order must be this way, first the ceasefire and then the conversations, that actually requires common sense,” said Chancellor Department Thorsten Frei in the ARD program “Caren Miosga”.
Finally, people saw that Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin The CDU politician said. The rocket fire even increased. “So, you now need a credible sign that there is a real will that such conversations not only take place, but also lead to success.” In his view, negotiations next Thursday in Istanbul without a ceasefire would “make no sense,” said Frei.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), British Prime Minister Keir Strandmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk, together with the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, had ultimately called for a 30-day ceasefire from Russia from this Monday.
Putin then offered Ukraine to resume direct peace talks in Turkey next Thursday. He did not go into the demand for a ceasefire. Selenskyj later said on the platform X: “I will wait for Putin in Turkey on Thursday, personally.”
If Putin does not respond to western demands, he faces new sanctions. The Chancellor’s Office on ARD did not provide details on request. However, freely emphasized: “Of course it must be noticeable.”/SK/DP/ZB