A prominent German lawmaker is urging Ukraine to accept a "temporary" loss of territory in hopes of ending its war with Russia.
Michael Kretschmer, the minister-president of Saxony, told Der Spiegel on Wednesday that it was "time for a final solution" to the 23-month conflict while advocating for Kyiv to consider freezing current borders in exchange for a ceasefire.
"It may be that Ukraine must first accept that certain territories are temporarily inaccessible to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire," Kretschmer said. "No square meter of Ukrainian territory has become Russian... But as in other major conflicts, it is time for a final solution."
Kretschmer also urged the German government to take a "u-turn" in regards to its policies towards Moscow, warning that Russia is "a dangerous, unpredictable neighbor" to Germany and "weakening" its position "lays the foundation for further conflicts."
"Unfortunately, the federal government represents the basic attitude: We do not want negotiations, [only] arms deliveries," said Kretschmer, before suggesting that American lawmakers have a better understanding of the situation and realize "that the war cannot be won in this way."
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko quickly responded by denouncing Kretschmer's remarks in a statement shared to Facebook on Wednesday, arguing that accepting any loss of territory would "inevitably lead to more aggression" from Russia.
"If Ukraine faces the temporary loss of territories, Russian troops will become closer to Germany and Saxony in particular," Nikolenko said. "Concessions of the territories will inevitably lead to more aggression of Russia, which will undoubtedly go beyond the borders of Ukraine. Peace in Europe [depends on] the defeat of Moscow."
"We urge the German politician to look the truth in the eyes," he added. "[Russian President Vladimir Putin's] goal is to destroy Ukraine and destabilize all Europe... The only 'turn' in Germany's policy towards Russia may be even greater support for Ukraine. And we're very grateful that the German federal government shares this approach."
A spokesperson for the Embassy of Germany in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek via email on Wednesday that the German government would "double its support for Ukraine" in 2024. The spokesperson noted that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had "reiterated on several occasions that Germany stands firmly by Ukraine's side."
Last year, Putin announced that he was annexing the Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. The move was not recognized internationally and the oblasts all remain under divided control as the war continues.
The New York Times reported on Saturday that Putin is "ready to make a deal" for a ceasefire, having purportedly indicated through diplomatic back channels that he would be willing to end the war with borders frozen in their current positions.
Ukraine has made it clear that it has no intention of allowing any of its territory to remain in Russian hands. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly vowed that he war will not end until Kyiv takes back Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
Update 12/27, 6:40 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include a statement from the Embassy of Germany in Washington, D.C.
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Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more
