Germany Slams Russia’s ‘Stubborn Insistence’ on Ukraine Territorial Claims

January 27 ------ Germany’s foreign minister accused Russia of blocking progress toward peace by clinging to territorial demands during US-backed talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Speaking in Latvia, Johann Wadephul said what emerged from negotiations in Abu Dhabi was “only Russia’s stubborn insistence on the crucial territorial issue.” “And if there is no flexibility here, I fear that the negotiations may still take a long time or may not be successful at this stage,” he said.

Wadephul welcomed US-mediated diplomacy but stressed that Europe must be at the table when decisions are made about the continent’s security. “Our commitment to diplomacy does not weaken our determination to support Ukraine,” he said.

Calling the moment “decisive for the future of our European continent,” Wadephul said real peace talks will begin only when Russia understands that Europe stands firmly with Ukraine. His remarks came as two days of closed-door talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States concluded in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the discussions as “constructive,” even as Kyiv accused Moscow of undermining diplomacy with fresh deadly strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Friday and Saturday marked the first direct Ukraine-Russia contacts under a US-led peace plan, with both sides testing the waters and laying out what they see as acceptable terms to end Europe’s bloodiest war since World War II.

Zelensky said the talks focused on “possible parameters for ending the war,” with all sides agreeing that US oversight is needed to ensure real security. Ahead of the talks, Moscow again said control of Ukraine’s Donbas – the Donetsk and Luhansk regions – is a prerequisite for peace. Russian state media said “buffer zones” and control mechanisms were discussed, reviving proposals that would require Ukrainian troop withdrawals from parts of the east. The idea, promoted under different names since December, remains one of the most sensitive and divisive issues in the negotiations. A third round of trilateral talks is expected to take place in Abu Dhabi next week, Zelensky confirmed on Monday.

Source: kyivpost.com