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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday condemned what he described as Russian “terror against the civilian population” of Ukraine and urged the European Union to swiftly impose new sanctions on Moscow.
Speaking alongside the Netherlands’ caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Berlin, Merz accused Russia of deliberately targeting non-military sites in its latest waves of strikes.
The two met to discuss topics related to bilateral and European cooperation as well as international politics.
Merz described recent attacks on Ukrainian residential areas as “the most serious war crimes” which were “anything but a proportionate response to the very precise Ukrainian attacks on military airfields and infrastructure in the last week.”
Moscow is escalating the situation and attempting “to create a bloodbath” instead of negotiating with Ukraine, Merz said, who added that a larger tragedy had been averted due to Ukraine’s air defence.
Schoof echoed Merz’s concerns and said Ukraine was defending not only its own sovereignty “but also the security of Europe…after a war of aggression that was started by Russia.”
The comments from the Dutch and German leaders come just days ahead of a G7 summit in Canada and a NATO meeting later this month.
There, Ukraine’s Western allies are expected to urge US President Donald Trump to take a firmer stance against the Kremlin.
Merz and Schoof also extended their condolences to the victims of a shooting at a school in Graz, Austria.
Merz said he was “deeply shocked by this news that young people have been so suddenly torn from life.”
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