Putin wants Ukraine's 'capitulation': German FM

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to surrender, Germany's top diplomat said on Monday as he visited Kyiv after weeks of stepped-up Russian bombardments of the country.

Amid stalled peace talks to end the more than three-year war, "Putin is not ceding on any of his maximalist demands -- he doesn't want negotiations, he wants a capitulation," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said as he arrived in the Ukrainian capital on an unannounced visit.

"Ukraine's freedom and liberty is the most important task of our foreign and security policy," Wadephul said in a statement released by his ministry.

Russia is "betting on a weakening of our support" and "wants conquest and submission at any cost -- even at the cost of hundreds of thousands of additional lives", he said.