WorldPosted at: Oct 13 2026 7:51PM


German FM Wadephul warns Russia rejects ceasefire, urges tougher sanctions on Moscow

Warsaw, Oct 13 (UNI) German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Tuesday that Russia is unwilling for a ceasefire in Ukraine, calling for tougher sanctions to pressure Moscow to halt its attacks and return to negotiations.
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on Tuesday, Wadephul urged European nations to maintain a firm stance against Russia and criticised the Trump administration's diesel deal with Moscow, arguing against any retreat from sanctions.
Reflecting on his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York last month,— the first high-level engagement after a prolonged pause in dialogue — Wadephul said the talks had yielded a grim assessment of Moscow's willingness to end the war.
"Now I had that conversation and you saw the result. It's a very dire result," he said, pointing to heavy Russian strikes on Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure.
Wadephul said Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to believe that prolonging the conflict through the winter would give Moscow a military advantage and leave Ukraine in a more vulnerable position.
He argued that Western countries must increase the economic and political costs of continuing the war, forcing the Kremlin to reconsider its strategy.
"We have to look to his assessment, to the elements of his thinking and change the scenario for him," Wadephul said, stressing that stronger sanctions could make prolonging the war a greater risk for Putin and his regime.
The German foreign minister also called on China to use its influence over Moscow to help end the conflict and advance a diplomatic settlement.
"We expect that China, which has the greatest influence on the Russian regime, will really make them clear that they do have to stop this war," he said.
Wadephul's remarks underscore Berlin's call for sustained European pressure on Russia as attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure raise concerns about the country's ability to withstand the coming winter.UNI AAB
Tags: #German FM Wadephul warns Russia rejects ceasefire# urges tougher sanctions on Moscow
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