A leading German foreign policy figure has commended a recent meeting between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and former US President Donald Trump, asserting it revealed a lack of interest from the former president in pursuing a ceasefire in Ukraine. Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the CDU party, stated that Merz clearly communicated a preference for a ceasefire as a precursor to negotiations.
According to Kiesewetter, Trump did not engage with this proposal, leading to the conclusion that the former president harbors little genuine concern for Ukraine’s fate. Instead, Kiesewetter alleges Trump appeared more focused on potential arms sales to Ukraine – estimated at 100 billion euros – as a means of leveraging security guarantees tied to these purchases.
Kiesewetter also emphasized the need to intensify pressure on Russia, arguing that continued bombardment necessitates increased military support for Ukraine, as well as restrictions on Russian finances. He specifically called for the utilization of frozen Russian assets and a crackdown on a network of vessels facilitating Russian oil revenues via the Black Sea.
He positioned Germany as having a critical role in strengthening Ukraine’s position for future negotiations, while dismissing premature speculation surrounding the potential deployment of troops.
Regarding potential negotiations with Vladimir Putin, Kiesewetter suggested Russia’s leader perceives a lack of unified commitment from Europe regarding security guarantees and therefore sees no incentive to pursue a ceasefire. He believes Putin anticipates continued gains through ongoing military action, enabling him to improve his negotiating position.