Germany Calls on US’s Marco Rubio to Intensify Diplomatic Role on Ukraine
Germany Urges Greater US Involvement in Ukraine Diplomacy
German Foreign Minister’s Planned Call to Marco Rubio
BERLIN, Aug 24 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul plans to speak to his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, by phone on Monday to urge him to become more personally involved in diplomatic efforts related to the war in Ukraine, he told radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.
Current US Diplomatic Efforts
Wadephul, who was recently in Ukraine, told the broadcaster that U.S. diplomacy had so far been handled largely by presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
Germany’s Approach and International Contacts
"I may be able to encourage him (Rubio) myself to do more there," the German minister said, adding that Berlin was pursuing other channels to help restart negotiations.
Germany is in contact with a number of countries, including Turkey, several Gulf states and Egypt, which maintain closer ties with Russia than most European countries, Wadephul said.
Stalled Negotiations and Russia’s Position
Negotiations between Russia and the U.S. to bring about an end to the conflict in Ukraine have largely stalled amid the war in Iran, and the Kremlin said last week that it had no information yet on a possible next visit by Kushner and Witkoff.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had said in an interview on Friday that Russia was ready to listen to Rubio's new ideas and continue dialogue with Washington.
(Reporting by Elke Ahlswede, Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Kate Mayberry)