BERLIN, Aug 30 (Reuters) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on Saturday that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is unlikely to cease unless the country is deprived of the economic and military means to sustain the conflict, especially after recent diplomatic initiatives yielded no results.
Speaking at a regional gathering of his conservative party in North Rhine-Westphalia, Merz emphasized that Moscow’s regime has responded to international efforts with increased hostility toward Ukrainian civilians.
“This aggression will not end until we collectively ensure that Russia can no longer afford this war, primarily from an economic standpoint, and possibly also due to military constraints,” he said.
Earlier that day, Russia’s Chief of General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, claimed that Russian forces were maintaining continuous offensive operations across nearly the entire frontline and retained strategic control.
Throughout the summer, Moscow has intensified aerial attacks on urban centers deep within Ukrainian territory, far from active combat zones.
Attempts by former U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a diplomatic resolution to the now three-year-old war have not succeeded. Ukraine and its European partners, including Germany, are advocating for stricter economic penalties against Russia to weaken its war-funding capabilities.
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Germany’s Merz: Ukraine allies must ensure Russia can no longer economically wage war
BERLIN, Aug 30 (Reuters) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Saturday he expected that Russia would only stop its war against Ukraine once it could no longer wage it for economic and military reasons, given that diplomatic efforts in recent weeks had failed. n n”All efforts of the past weeks have been answered with an even more aggressive approach by this regime in Moscow against the population in Ukraine,” Merz said at a regional event of his conservatives in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. n nSign up here. n n”This will also not stop until we ensure together that Russia, at least for economic reasons, and perhaps also for military reasons … can no longer continue this war.” n nEarlier on Saturday, the chief of Russia ‘s general staff, General Valery Gerasimov, said his troops were waging a non-stop offensive along almost the entire front line in Ukraine and that they had the “strategic initiative”. n nRussia has also stepped up airstrikes on Ukrainian towns and cities far behind the front lines this summer. n nEfforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict, now in its fourth year, have so far failed, and Kyiv and its European allies including Germany are calling for tougher economic sanctions on Moscow. n nReporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Sarah Marsh Editing by Gareth Jones