The German government is pushing for a speedy ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. "The aim must be to bring about a political solution," said deputy government spokesperson Christiane Wirtz in Berlin. The separatists should do what is necessary to make possible talks among all parties.
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The German government insists that only a swift unconditional ceasefire for both sides in eastern Ukraine can lead to peace. It is regrettable, "that there has still been no meeting of the Contact Group, which consists of representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian governments and of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)," stated the deputy government spokesperson Christiane Wirtz at the government press conference in Berlin.
The Contact Group consists of representatives of the Ukrainian government, the Russian government and the OSCE.
The separatists, who have actively sought armed conflict, are now called on to make possible talks with a view to resolving the conflict within Ukraine. "The aim must be to bring about a political solution," stressed Christiane Wirtz. Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed similar views, describing a ceasefire as the first, "necessary step to defuse the situation". Only then can we go on to entertain political solutions, he added. "Even if the situation in eastern Ukraine has shifted in favour of the Ukrainian security forces, there will be no purely military solution to the conflict," declared Frank-Walter Steinmeier during a visit to Mongolia.
Christiane Wirtz called on the Ukrainian military to retain a sense of proportion in its dealings with separatists and to avoid civilian casualties.
It is also important, she said, that the Ukrainian leadership continue to uphold the offer of a ceasefire for both sides with no conditions attached. "Russia, for its part, is still called on to exert its influence over the separatists, and to work towards a ceasefire," said the deputy government spokesperson.
"We will not let up in our efforts to find diplomatic solutions," declared Chancellor Angela Merkel after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on 3 July in Berlin. Angela Merkel made clear how dissatisfied she is with developments. It is "very regrettable" that the ceasefire unilaterally declared by the Ukrainian President was not accepted by the separatists, she said. In ten days there has been "no significant response" to the peace plan.
Over the last few weeks Angela Merkel has spoken many time on the telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Germany will continue its efforts to help bring about a ceasefire in Ukraine and a political solution to the conflict. "We still have a long way to go before we are where we would like to be," said the Chancellor.
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