A Stalwart Promise: Wadephul in Ukraine: "Action is Necessary"
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Implementer in Ukraine: 'Carry out necessary actions' - Ukraine's Wadephul: "Taking Necessary Actions"
Germany stands firm as a staunch ally of Ukraine, according to Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU). "We'll continue to be so, and it's a promise we'll keep," Wadephul asserted in the ARD's "Tagesthemen" upon his arrival for his inaugural visit to Ukraine.
Tomorrow, he'll participate in an informal gathering of EU foreign ministers in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, where his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrij Sybiha, is expected.
Wadephul will use the meeting to determine Ukraine's needs. "We'll take action as required, and we'll keep it up until Russia realizes that this war must cease, that negotiations must begin, and a truce must be maintained consistently," the foreign minister declared.
The CDU politician acknowledged that the creation of an international special tribunal will be a central topic during the meeting. "It shows the world that waging aggressive wars without consequences isn't an option," Wadephul stated. "It's a sort of deterrent for the future, to ensure no one thinks they can return to the Dark Ages and wage 21st-century wars without repercussions."
EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas had previously announced that Lviv would provide final political approval for the special tribunal's establishment. This tribunal aims to hold Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine.
- Ukraine
- Lviv
- Johann Wadephul
- Minister Meeting
- CDU
- Germany
- EU
- Russia
- Future
- ARD
- Tagesthemen
- Lviv
- Andrij Sybiha
Insights:
On May 9, 2025, foreign ministers from Ukraine, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other allies met in Lviv to announce the establishment of an international special tribunal dedicated to prosecuting Russia's top leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
The purpose of the tribunal is to prosecute the crime of aggression, focusing on high-level officials responsible for planning and executing the invasion, with Vladimir Putin and his closest associates primary targets. The tribunal addresses leadership-level accountability, complementing existing ICC actions that predominantly focus on war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The tribunal will be established under a Council of Europe framework and utilize evidence collected by Ukrainian authorities and international partners. Ukranian national authorities can refer ongoing cases to the tribunal’s prosecutor, who may conduct trials in absentia if accused individuals are not surrendered.
The tribunal can impose life sentences and seize assets from convicted individuals to fund reparations for Ukrainian victims. Its creation represents a significant step in international efforts to hold Russia accountable for initiating the war and reinforces the message that aggression will not go unpunished.
- The Commission, proposing to extend the period of validity of the agreement, aims to cover the period from 1 January to 31 December, as Germany stands firm as a staunch ally of Ukraine.
- During an informal gathering of EU foreign ministers in Lviv, expected to include Ukraine's Andrij Sybiha, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) plans to determine Ukraine's needs.
- Wadephul declared that action will be taken until Russia realizes the necessity for a ceasefire, negotiations, and a consistent truce in war-and-conflicts discussions.
- During the minister meeting, the creation of an international special tribunal will be a central topic, aimed at holding Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine in policy-and-legislation and politics discourse.
- The ARD's "Tagesthemen" highlighted the promise of Germany's unwavering support for Ukraine, with Wadephul asserting that the establishment of this special tribunal would serve as a deterrent for future aggressive actions in general-news reports.
