Kiev's ambassador in Berlin: German firms should quit Russia
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
30 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
UN refugee agency says more than 122 million people forcibly displaced worldwide
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. refugee agency says the number of people forcible displaced by violence and persecution around the world has risen to more than 122 million, up by about 2 million from last year and a near-doubling over the last decade. UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi nonetheless pointed to some 'rays of hope' over the last six months, including the return home of nearly 2 million Syrians as their country tries to recover from more than a decade of civil war. The findings come as the refugee agency released its Global Trends Report on Thursday, which said the number of people driven abroad or displaced in their home countries by war, violence and persecution as of April rose to 122.1 million, up from 120 million a year earlier. Among those, the numbers of internally displaced people jumped by more than 9% to 73.5 million at the end of last year. The numbers represent cumulative figures from years of conflict, violence and persecution, and some displaced people returned home last year even as others fled. The report comes at a time when humanitarian groups are facing budget cuts from the United States and other traditional Western donors. UNHCR said nearly two-thirds of people who crossed national borders to flee remained in neighboring countries, countering the 'widespread perception in wealthier regions' that a majority of people were fleeing in a bid to reach places like Europe or the United States. The agency said Sudan, which has been riven by civil war, has become home to the world's largest displacement crisis, with more than 14 million people displaced by the conflict — surpassing Syria, at 13.5 million. More than 10 million in Afghanistan have been forcibly displaced, and some 8.8 million within or from Ukraine, UNHCR said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Hill
36 minutes ago
- The Hill
UN refugee agency says more than 122 million people forcibly displaced worldwide
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. refugee agency says the number of people forcible displaced by violence and persecution around the world has risen to more than 122 million, up by about 2 million from last year and a near-doubling over the last decade. UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi nonetheless pointed to some 'rays of hope' over the last six months, including the return home of nearly 2 million Syrians as their country tries to recover from more than a decade of civil war. The findings come as the refugee agency released its Global Trends Report on Thursday, which said the number of people driven abroad or displaced in their home countries by war, violence and persecution as of April rose to 122.1 million, up from 120 million a year earlier. Among those, the numbers of internally displaced people jumped by more than 9% to 73.5 million at the end of last year. The numbers represent cumulative figures from years of conflict, violence and persecution, and some displaced people returned home last year even as others fled. The report comes at a time when humanitarian groups are facing budget cuts from the United States and other traditional Western donors. UNHCR said nearly two-thirds of people who crossed national borders to flee remained in neighboring countries, countering the 'widespread perception in wealthier regions' that a majority of people were fleeing in a bid to reach places like Europe or the United States. The agency said Sudan, which has been riven by civil war, has become home to the world's largest displacement crisis, with more than 14 million people displaced by the conflict — surpassing Syria, at 13.5 million. More than 10 million in Afghanistan have been forcibly displaced, and some 8.8 million within or from Ukraine, UNHCR said.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
UN refugee agency says more than 122 million people forcibly displaced worldwide
Among those, the numbers of internally displaced people jumped by more than 9% to 73.5 million at the end of last year. The numbers represent cumulative figures from years of conflict, violence and persecution, and some displaced people returned home last year even as others fled. Advertisement The report comes at a time when humanitarian groups are facing budget cuts from the United States and other traditional Western donors. UNHCR said nearly two-thirds of people who crossed national borders to flee remained in neighboring countries, countering the 'widespread perception in wealthier regions' that a majority of people were fleeing in a bid to reach places like Europe or the United States. The agency said Sudan, which has been riven by civil war, has become home to the world's largest displacement crisis, with more than 14 million people displaced by the conflict — surpassing Syria, at 13.5 million. More than 10 million in Afghanistan have been forcibly displaced, and some 8.8 million within or from Ukraine, UNHCR said. Advertisement
