Washington-bound German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul Faces Calls for Stronger Ukraine Support
German politicians from the Union and SPD parties have urged Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, of the CDU, to use his upcoming visit to Washington to advocate for a stronger support of Ukraine.
CDU’s Roderich Kiesewetter emphasized the need for the United States to reevaluate its neutral stance in the conflict, stating that “the USA must give up its apparent role as a neutral mediator between Ukraine and Putin. Europe and the USA must clearly state that Ukraine has a future in the euro-atlantic security structure.”
The SPD’s Adis Ahmetovic, the party’s foreign policy spokesperson, emphasized the importance of Wadephul’s visit in securing US support for Ukraine and the escalation of sanctions against Russia. “Above all, it must be about getting the US on board with supporting Ukraine and toughening sanctions against Russia” Ahmetovic said.
Ahmetovic also expressed hope for more flexibility from the US in trade negotiations, particularly regarding the imposition of tariffs on the EU, saying, “I expect the talks to result in the US being more willing to negotiate on this issue.”
Furthermore, Ahmetovic called for the US to exert more pressure on Israel to achieve a ceasefire and improve the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, stating that “I expect the US to have a stronger impact on Netanyahu, so that Israel is finally ready to cease fire and do everything to improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.