Ukraine’s Ambassador to Germany, Oleksij Makejew, has publicly criticized the West’s approach to potential peace negotiations with Russia, accusing Western powers of insufficient support and advocating for a more assertive stance against Moscow. In an interview with the German news network “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (RND), Makejew expressed Ukraine’s readiness to engage in “concrete negotiations and a genuine ceasefire” but explicitly rejected the notion of relying on purportedly “neutral” mediators. Instead, he demanded allies who actively support Ukraine and are willing to negotiate from a position of strength, rather than appearing to placate Russia.
Ambassador Makejew underscored that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly offered, as early as April 2025, to agree to an unconditional ceasefire and to continue negotiations for a lasting peace, regardless of format. He strongly rebuffed the increasingly common proposal within Western political discourse to “freeze” the conflict, arguing that Russia’s “imperial delusion” cannot be frozen, but rather necessitates a resolute challenge to its underlying ambitions.
Drawing a direct parallel to the failed 2015 Minsk agreements, Makejew asserted that attempts to freeze the conflict have historically proven disastrous. The Minsk agreements, he argued, collapsed due to a lack of Western resolve, with the West exhibiting “fear of a clear, shared response to the Russian imperial threat”. This fear, he contended, led to pressure exerted on Ukraine to make disproportionate concessions while Russia faced no binding demands. He warned that contemporary calls for a “freeze” represent a recycled strategy: “Again freezing, again pressure on Ukraine, again illusion instead of responsibility.
Makejew directly criticized this approach as “not peace policy, but moral self-relief at the expense of those who die every day for freedom and security of Europe”. He accused Western leaders of seeking to alleviate political pressure by presenting a superficial commitment to peace, disregarding the sacrifices made by Ukrainian forces on the front lines.
The ambassador’s comments arrive amid growing debate within the German government itself about potential pathways for de-escalation. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius recently stated that negotiations based on the current frontline positions should not be interpreted as recognition of Ukrainian territorial concessions, emphasizing concerns about a “freezing” of the conflict. However, Makejew’s stark rebuke suggests a profound disconnect between Ukraine’s perspective and the evolving political calculations within Western capitals, highlighting the risk of perpetuating a flawed and ultimately unsustainable strategy.