Russia - Ukraine: Foreign Minister Wadephul tightens his tone towards Putin

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is toughening his tone towards Moscow after the fruitless meeting with his Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. After the recent massive attacks on Ukraine with numerous civilian casualties, the CDU politician sharply attacked Russia and threatened extensive sanctions. “Putin’s cruelty knows no limits,” criticizes Wadephul.

Putin is "continuing his rocket terror against Ukrainians, including many children, with ever greater severity," said Wadephul to the German Press Agency in Berlin, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin will still fail "because of Ukraine's resistance - and our continued support for its defense."

“Attrition tactics incredibly brutal”

The past few days have proven that the Russian president is fully committed to escalation. Dozens of civilians, including children, have been killed in the past three days alone. Residential buildings like those in Pryluky are deliberately destroyed night after night, killing people in their sleep. “This tactic of attrition is incredibly brutal,” criticized Wadephul.

Only on Wednesday did the EU provide a further 1.2 billion euros for life-saving air defense in Ukraine, the minister recalled. “At the same time, we will significantly increase the pressure on Russia’s war economy and its supporters with new sanctions.” The final steps are currently being coordinated in Brussels so that the most comprehensive punitive measures to date against people and companies will soon take effect. “This will also severely affect Russia’s ability to attack Ukraine.”

Preparations for further punitive measures

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said preparations were underway to impose punitive measures on 1,600 more people and companies with ties to Russia's military-industrial complex.

In the Ukrainian city of Pryluky alone, at least 19 people were recently killed and 55 others injured in Russian attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Five children were among the dead and five children were injured. In the city about 120 kilometers east of Kiev, a five-story apartment block was hit.