Ukraine needs strong position for peace negotiations, says Germany’s Baerbock

BERLIN

Germany’s foreign minister called on NATO allies Tuesday to maintain strong support for Ukraine to ensure a position of strength during potential peace negotiations with Russia.

Speaking ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, Annalena Baerbock reaffirmed Germany's commitment to deepening NATO-Ukraine cooperation, but stopped short of supporting a membership invitation.

“We need security guarantees that really work, for which we have taken the first steps in the last two years, for example with the NATO Ukraine Council,” Baerbock said, adding that she and her colleagues would discuss ways to strengthen this cooperation further.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that a cease-fire deal could be reached if the Ukrainian territory under Kyiv's control was put “under the NATO umbrella,” and once again raised his expectation for an invitation to join the military alliance.

Baerbock noted that diplomats are discussing various proposals, including security guarantees and the deployment of international forces, but also underlined that Kyiv alone would make decisions about these elements.

“Ukraine alone decides with which goals it goes to the negotiating table, and for this it must be in a position of strength, and therefore we would continue supporting Ukraine,” she stressed.

Baerbock also underlined that any negotiations must aim for a “just peace” agreement rather than merely freezing the conflict, which she warned could lead to further rearmament and potential new conflicts.

“Various elements of peace are now on the table: political and material security guarantees, NATO membership, an international presence to secure a cease-fire, troop withdrawal, reconstruction, and the issue of sanctions,” she said.

Baerbock strongly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s current stance, accusing him of showing no genuine interest in creating conditions for peace negotiations while stepping up his military campaign against Ukraine.

“Even after 1,000 days of war, the one who started the war, Russian President Putin, is still unwilling to stop the aggression and come to this table,” she said, adding that during her visit to Beijing on Monday, she emphasized the need to put more pressure on Moscow to pursue diplomacy.

“I made this clear yesterday in Beijing, everyone must do their part, above all the members of the UN Security Council. We can only achieve peace together,” Baerbock said.