We must not let ourselves be fooled by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the ongoing negotiations, German Foreign Minister Analene Berbock said today, calling on Moscow to accept a ceasefire without preconditions, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
"We must not let ourselves be fooled by the Russian president. There is no situation of dialogue when a ceasefire is constantly tied to concessions and new demands", Berbock stressed.
She called on the Kremlin "to accept a complete ceasefire without additional conditions and to end its brutal attacks on the Ukrainian population".
The United States announced an agreement between Russia and Ukraine yesterday to stop military operations in the Black Sea. Moscow has set as conditions for such a pause the lifting of some sanctions against Russia imposed over the invasion of Ukraine, which began more than 3 years ago.
Baerbock also criticized the "massive and ongoing attacks on Ukraine". This shows that "Putin continues to try to advance on the battlefield" during the ceasefire negotiations.
As for "the Black Sea and Ukrainian grain, Putin has never taken into account the poorest people in the world, but has always played on their fears and problems," the German foreign minister said.