Germany’s new top diplomat on Wednesday sought to stress unity with the United States on Ukraine, warning of further sanctions if Russia does not budge in stalled negotiations to end the war.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who assumed his role this month as center-right Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office, met in Washington with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“We, Germany and the United States, have a common position regarding Ukraine,” Wadephul told reporters after the meeting. “We need to find a negotiated solution.”
US President Donald Trump took office vowing to end the war and blaming his predecessor Joe Biden for the invasion. But Trump has voiced growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has not accepted a Ukrainian-backed US proposal of a 30-day ceasefire.
Wadephul said that Europeans were ready to “tighten the screws” on Russia and noted that sanctions bills are being prepared in the US Congress.
“Both Europe and the United States are willing to draw consequences if this does not happen,” he said of Russia coming to the negotiation table.
Merz earlier Wednesday said that Germany will “do everything” to make sure that the damaged Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia does not resume deliveries of natural gas to Europe.
The stance shows the sharp shift in Germany since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The last Christian Democratic chancellor, Angela Merkel, had rebuffed pressure from the United States and supported the pipeline, arguing that it not only provided energy to Europe’s largest economy but incentivized Russia to work with Europe.
Merz has also voiced growing concern about Israel’s offensive in Gaza, where aid has begun to enter in a heavily controlled trickle after a two-month blockade.
The situation in Gaza has become “dramatically more precarious,” Wadephul said.
Germany and the United States have traditionally been among Israel’s top supporters. Wadephul in Washington visited a makeshift memorial outside the Capital Jewish Museum where a gunman last week shot dead two Israeli embassy employees.
Wadephul was visiting as Rubio celebrated his 54th birthday. As a gift, the German FM presented Rubio with a framed poster of a game played in Frankfurt by the sports-loving top US diplomat’s hometown Miami Dolphins.
