German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday called for increased international pressure on Russia, stressing the need for more military and financial aid to Ukraine as a pathway to achieving what he described as a “just and lasting peace.”
Speaking in Tokyo alongside Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Wadephul said the world’s focus was now fixed on Washington, where US President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and key European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The meeting follows Trump’s recent discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
“It is probably not an exaggeration to say the whole world is looking to Washington,” Wadephul told reporters. He underlined that “firm security guarantees are central” to any peace framework, adding that “Ukraine must be able to defend itself effectively even after a ceasefire and peace agreement.”
In the run-up to the White House gathering, Merz joined French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and other European leaders in a show of unity aimed at strengthening Zelenskiy’s position. The leaders expressed cautious optimism over US willingness to consider security guarantees for Ukraine but insisted that Kyiv must play a central role in any territorial negotiations and that its remaining land must be safeguarded.
The Washington talks are expected to focus heavily on long-term security commitments to Ukraine and the terms of a possible settlement with Russia, as Western allies seek to balance pressure on Moscow with a pathway toward ending the war.
Melissa Enoch
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