German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said today that the duration of Russia's aggression in Ukraine depends to a large extent on the effectiveness of international sanctions. Reuters reported this, citing a statement by the Chancellor during a press conference in Berlin, BTA reports.
“The question of how long Russia can sustain this war also depends on how effective the sanctions are“, Merz said. He stressed that this is why he is urging the United States to step up sanctions pressure on Moscow.
Merz categorically condemned the latest Russian strikes on Kiev, calling them “terrorist acts against the civilian population“. "These are not military targets, but acts of terror against civilians," he said, describing the Kremlin's actions as "very serious war crimes."
The Chancellor noted that Russia is choosing escalation over negotiations at a time when the European Union is preparing its 18th package of sanctions. It also includes a proposal to lower the price ceiling for Russian oil in order to limit Moscow's revenues from oil exports.
Merz added that he is in constant contact with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he has encouraged to speed up the process of adopting the new measures.
Brussels is presenting the package just days before the G7 summit, which will be held in Canada from June 15 to 17. The topic of sanctions against Russia is expected to be high on the agenda at the meeting.