Name: German Foreign Minister has doubts Putin will meet with Zelenskyy | DW News
Uploaded: 2025-11-18T17:33:53.000Z
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While the west looks for a peaceful solution for Ukraine, Germany's Foreign Minister, Johann Vadevohl, is on his first official trip to Asia after Japan.

He's now come to Jakarta, Indonesia, where we're speaking with him.

Has Europe become a safer place in the past few days?

There's a good chance that this is a step towards security and peace.

After all, the American president was very committed in making sure that even the Russian president.

The president is now basically considering a halt to the shooting and fighting and attacks on Ukraine, as well as discussions on a peaceful solution with Ukraine.

It's also positive that the American president is talking about security guarantees for Ukraine.

Those are signs that good progress could be possible for the first time in this terrible war.

But now everyone's waiting to see whether Vladimir Putin is genuinely ready to preside over an end to this war.

Unfortunately, things are still looking very different on the battlefield.

As you just mentioned, it has become clear that without security guarantees, there will be no peace in Ukraine.

President Trump has also stated that he expects Europe, and in particular Germany, to send troops.

Yes, that will have to be discussed in detail together.

And these talks are already happening, by the way.

Careful preparations are being made in terms of military and security policy.

I would nevertheless advise, firstly, waiting to see whether talks even take place.

And secondly, if talks do happen, we must see whether an agreement is found that is durable.

Germany has so far never failed to show its readiness to take responsibility in this conflict.

From the very start, practically straight after his swearing in, Chancellor Friedrich Merz showed every commitment by traveling to Kyiv, by heading many meetings, and

recently by accompanying President Zelensky to Washington.

Germany is taking responsibility in the form of the government and the chancellor.

It sounds as though you still have significant doubts that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin will take place.

Well, there are obvious doubts because President Putin has not yet said yes to negotiations.

President Zelensky said he is ready to hold a bilateral meeting with Putin and then a trilateral meeting with President Trump.

All we're seeing is how he keeps attacking Ukraine every day.

All we see is him employing delaying tactics.

All we see is him coming up with new excuses and new conditions.

He finally has to understand that this war must be ended on some days.

Russia is also losing 1,000 young people in this war.

It's a completely senseless war that is so very damaging to Russia and its people.

And Putin has To realize that if he isn't prepared to negotiate, there will be further sanctions.

Europe and I think the United States who are now involved are prepared for that.

If this meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy does actually take place, where will it happen?

Geneva, Budapest, Qatar have been proposed.

No, I don't think Berlin has any ambition to host these talks.

We are participating through proposals and support.

We have already shown that and we will continue to show that in the future.

But we don't see our greatest contribution as being the venue for these talks.

The most important thing is that they take place.

There are many good venues in Europe where they can be held.

I think it should be as neutral as possible.

In the past, Switzerland has always been very good for this sort of thing.

This is your inaugural trip to Asia and people here are also closely observing efforts to start these talks over Ukraine's future.

Depending on the result, could it encourage China to become more confrontational here in the region?

Yes, that is one of the messages that I have brought with me.

We know how these crisis regions are linked and we either defend the international rules based order and peace together or we lose this battle.

And we don't want to lose it here in Asia.

I was in Japan, but also now in Indonesia too.

People are very grateful that in Europe and the world there's a very clear position on Russia's war of aggress.

And that's exactly why I said here that a peaceful situation in the Taiwan Strait, for example, is as important for regional stability as it is for the global economy and also for economic and security policy in Europe.

People here see that and appreciate that Germany recognizes these issues.

But suppose it actually did come to a blockade.

What would, what would Berlin's response?

Berlin, how would you secure and protect Germany's maritime routes and supply chains here.

I see that as a hypothetical question, thankfully, and

can only repeat the call for the rejection of direct or indirect violence.

That is our position and that is the position of practically all neighboring nations in this region.

Otherwise, I believe that the progress around the Russian war of aggression has shown one many nations are now prepared to work together.

We see a coalition of the willing supporting Ukraine, 30 nations, and

there are also Asian states, Japan for example, that support it.

So by the same token, this region has the right to demand solidarity from us.

New global partnerships are being created.

And something I also hope to achieve for Germany here is that people see us as reliable.

We are showing it and that, of course, we can expect the same reliability from them too.

Shouldn't China really be involved in the talks over Ukraine's future?

Putin is visiting Beijing at the start of September.

China is an important country, a huge country, which can have a lot of political influence, which has a lot of economic influence, and

is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

And for a long time now, we've been calling on China to use these opportunities and help ensure the war is ended.

Hardly any other country, any other government, has such a strong influence on Russia as China.

Unfortunately, China hasn't used its opportunities so far, but it's never too late.

So you're saying that you would welcome it?

We've already appealed to China several times, and

during my last talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, I called for both him and the Chinese state and party leadership to make more explicit use of these resources in their dealings with Russia.

I would be very pleased if this appeal was heard in Beijing.

But on your trip you've also criticized China.

You accused it of aggressive behavior and there was an immediate response from China.

How do your Indonesian allies, your Indonesian partners here today, see the criticism that you levelled?

of course it is only a reaction to the regrettable behaviour that we repeatedly see from the Chinese side.

There have also been some serious incidents at sea here and the violation of court rulings and of borders and of sovereign rights.

And I believe that we are allowed to respond to that.

We are all subject to the same standards, whether in Europe, Africa or Asia.

My experience in Asia tells me that Germany's position is very valued.

It's not anti Chinese as such, but it's a position that stands for the law, international law, and

Germany expressly offers China its partnership and collaboration, and

we find it regrettable that China occasionally shows a rather different side of its behavior.