Ukraine War: Federal Government provides Moscow Ultimatum-Kremlin outraged

Germany, France, Great Britain and Poland had asked Russia on Saturday for a 30-day ceasefire from Monday. During a visit to Kiev, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and the other heads of state and government with sanctions threatened. On Monday, the federal government increased the pressure again: “The clock is running, we still have twelve hours until the end of the day,” said government spokesman Kornelius. If there is no ceasefire until evening, the sanctions will be prepared.

Moscow reacted promptly: “The language of Ultimaten is unacceptable for Russia, it is not appropriate,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow in Moscow. “You can’t talk to Russia like that.” At the same time, Peskow said that Moscow was ready for “serious” conversations for a “permanent peace solution”. However, he did not comment on the proposal of the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj to meet directly with the Russian head of state Vladimir Putin on Thursday in Istanbul.

Putin has so far rejected the demands for a temporary fire break, but he offered direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday. Selenskyj agreed to meet Putin directly, but consisted of the 30-day arms calls also required by the Europeans from Monday.

However, US President Donald Trump announced that it was considering a visit to Turkey if there are direct conversations between Ukraine and Russia. This is possible if he had the impression that things could move, Trump explained. The US President will be expected in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from Tuesday. From there, he may continue to fly to Turkey, Trump explained. Selenskyj then wrote in online service X that Ukraine would welcome it if Trump took part in the talks in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, the fights continued unabated: On Monday night, Ukraine reported 108 Russian drone attacks. Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha accused Russia of ignoring the ceasefire required by Kiev and Western partners. Instead, the Russian army continues to attack “Ukrainian position along the entire front line”, wrote Sybiha on X.

Meanwhile, several foreign ministers met in London in the so-called Weimarer-Dreieck-Plus format to advise on the situation in Ukraine. The British Foreign Minister and host of the meeting, David Lammy, received colleagues from Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Spain and Ukraine as well as the EU foreign officer Kaja Kallas. In a joint explanation, they pushed Moscow into ceasefire talks “without delay” and took behind Kiev’s demand for an immediate and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. This would open up “the space for negotiations on a fair, complete and persistent peace”.

The format was founded in February to respond to the course change in the Ukraine policy of the United States. Germany was represented by the new Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul (CDU) at the meeting.

“For the first time we have a momentum, a real chance” for soon to negotiate peace, said WadePhul on the sidelines of the meeting to the broadcasters RTL and NTV. Ukraine can “rely on great European support”. The EU foreign commissioner Kallas meanwhile accused Russia of a delay. “We have to put pressure on Russia because they play games,” she said in London.