Ukraine, Germany: ‘In call with Trump, Putin talks but makes no real commitment to peace’

Frankfurt (Germany), 20 May (LaPresse) – "I think we can say that yesterday's conversation confirmed once again that the Russian side is making statements, but so far there is no evidence of any declared intentions. Putin is not yet willing to make concessions. He is only talking about a ceasefire on his terms, i.e. the well-known conditions such as non-accession to NATO, the occupied territories and much more.‘ This was stated by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on his arrival at the EU Foreign Affairs and Defence Council, speaking about the phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. ’Apparently, Vladimir Putin is still playing for time. This is also very clear. And so, even if Russia were willing to discuss a memorandum, there is no sign of a ceasefire for now. At least, that is my assessment,‘ Pistorius added. ’There is no timetable. So, unfortunately, it must be said that Putin does not yet seem seriously interested in peace, in a ceasefire, at least not on terms acceptable to others,‘ the German minister continued, stressing that ’nevertheless, the saying remains valid: I listen to the words, I listen to the statements, but in the end, I stick to my line of thinking: I no longer judge words, but facts and actions. I believe this helps us all more than speculation about the seriousness of intentions."