- Germany accuses Russia of stalling peace talks, claiming Putin wants a ceasefire only on his own terms.
- President Donald Trump announced Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin negotiations toward a ceasefire.
- German Chancellor Scholz and President Trump agreed to impose further sanctions on Moscow if necessary.
- The Kremlin has rejected a proposed 30-day ceasefire; no timetable or location for talks has been confirmed.
- Germany supports increasing European Union pressure on Russia amid continued drone attacks across Ukraine.
WASHINGTON / BRUSSELS — In a growing rift over peace efforts in Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius accused Russia of stalling negotiations while continuing military aggression, casting doubt on the Kremlin’s intentions just a day after President Donald Trump announced that ceasefire negotiations would begin “immediately.”
Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Tuesday, Pistorius said Russian President Vladimir Putin was “only talking about a ceasefire on his terms,” referencing conditions that include blocking Ukraine’s NATO membership and Kyiv’s withdrawal from occupied territories. “Putin is clearly playing for time,” he said. “Unfortunately, we have to say Putin is not really interested in peace.”
— German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X (source)
President Trump had announced on Monday that both Russia and Ukraine would begin talks aimed at ending the three-year war, following his separate calls with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be,” Trump stated on Truth Social, adding that the details would remain in the hands of Moscow and Kyiv.
However, questions remain as to when or where the negotiations might take place, and who would be involved. The Kremlin has so far refused to endorse a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal, with Putin describing the peace process as one that will “take time.”
According to EuroNews, Pistorius also criticized Russia for escalating attacks on Ukrainian territory even after the peace overtures began. He highlighted what he called the “largest drone attack since the war began” on the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk regions earlier this week.
Germany has pledged to work with the European Union to impose further sanctions on Moscow should negotiations fail to produce tangible progress. Pistorius affirmed, “We will continue to increase pressure. This is not a moment to stand down.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed that sentiment in a post on X (formerly Twitter), noting that he and President Trump had agreed to increase pressure on Russia if necessary. “Europe and America are very united on this point,” Scholz wrote. “We will closely support Ukraine on its path toward a ceasefire.”
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