The Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin Oleksii Makeiev hopes that the future German government will put more pressure on firms to give up on business in Russia.
If companies are still operating there after three years of Russia’s war in Ukraine, they are helping to finance Moscow’s war effort through taxes, Makeiev told reporters on Monday.
“I would expect the new government to send a clear signal to the economy: Leave Russia!” he added on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion and the day after the German parliamentary election.
Due to Western sanctions, many German companies have already stopped doing business in Russia. However, there are still companies operating in non-sanctioned areas such as food, consumer goods, healthcare and building materials.
Both Makeiev and the Polish ambassador in Berlin, Jan Tombinski, told journalists that they hoped for the swift formation of a German government.
The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), won the election and are expected to seek a coalition deal with the Social Democrats of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Makeiev said he had been told in advance that the German government would remain capable of making decision on Ukraine during the transition in Berlin.
The likely future German chancellor, CDU leader Friedrich Merz, had made it clear during the election campaign that he wanted to take on a leading European role in supporting Ukraine, the ambassador added.
“Germany is Ukraine’s most important partner in Europe,” Makeiev said.
The future German government should advocate more independent action by Europe in defence and arms industry matters, Tombinski said, referring to the now difficult trans-Atlantic relationship under US President Donald Trump.
(dpa)
