Germany criticizes Russia’s conditional support for Ukraine ceasefire

BERLIN

Germany criticized Russia on Friday for its conditional support for a ceasefire in Ukraine, accusing Moscow of not being serious when it comes to solving the Ukrainian conflict.

“It will come as no surprise that the federal government views this critically,” deputy Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer told journalists in Berlin.

“One can only speak of a delaying tactic, at best, regarding a ceasefire, when such an offer is backed up by such conditions and provisions and one must certainly ask whether there is a serious interest in working toward a lasting ceasefire and a solution,” she added

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country agrees with US proposals for a ceasefire in Ukraine but stressed that any ceasefire would have to deal with the root causes of the conflict.

“We agree with the proposals to stop the hostilities, but we proceed from the fact that this cessation should be such that it would lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis,” Putin told a joint press conference with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow.

Moscow supports the idea of ending the Russia-Ukraine war through “peaceful means,” he added.

Thanking US President Donald Trump for “paying so much attention” to the issue of finding a settlement for the conflict, Putin said that Russia will agree on the next steps in ending the war and "based on how the situation develops on the ground.”

He also said the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine is “correct” but that there are issues that they must discuss.

"And I think that we need to talk to our American colleagues and partners, maybe call President Trump and discuss it with him," he added.

He went on to warn that monitoring such a ceasefire will be very difficult due to the length of the front line between Russia and Ukraine.