Germany and France on Friday pledged further support for Ukraine's air defence and vowed to further tighten sanctions on Russia in response to deadly Russian air strikes on Kyiv.
"Despite intensive international diplomatic efforts, Russia shows no intention to end its war of aggression against Ukraine", the two governments said in a joint declaration after a meeting between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron in southern France.
"In light of the massive Russian air strikes on Ukraine and its population and the consequences for our own security, France and Germany will therefore provide additional air defence to Ukraine", its aid.
Meanwhile, the two allies also "consider the effective implementation and further strengthening of sanctions essential to exert maximum pressure on Russia to end its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and ultimately bring peace to Ukraine and Europe".
To that end, Germany and France are looking to push for Russian sanctions within the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrial nations and the European Union, targeting businesses in third countries that support Russia's war on Ukraine, according to the declaration.
The two nations also agreed "on the need to provide Ukraine with credible security guarantees", intended to deter Russia from attacking again in case a peace deal is reached.
However, Paris and Berlin steered clear of the possibility of sending troops themselves, only committing to supporting Ukrainian forces on the ground.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Russia's war in Ukraine could go on for "many more months" despite recent US-led efforts to bring it to an end.
Speaking alongside France's President Emmanuel Macron in the French city of Toulon, Merz said he had "no illusions" about the prospects of a swift conclusion to the war and vowed that "we will not abandon Ukraine".
Merz said he was "not surprised" at the Kremlin's continued stalling on US President Donald Trump's push to set up direct talks between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. — dpa
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
