Germany urges US to step up mediation role in Ukraine war

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Saturday he plans to discuss further diplomatic efforts to bring peace to Ukraine when he meets with his US counterpart, Marco Rubio, next week.

"I am counting on the US to remain willing to play an active role here in the negotiations with Ukraine," Wadephul said during his visit to Kyiv.

"But I also believe it was the right decision for us Europeans to come together within the E3 framework in the first half of this year," the German Press Agency (dpa) cited him as saying.

Wadephul emphasized that Germany, France, and the United Kingdom would continue to work very closely together in this context.

"I believe we need to be willing to take unconventional approaches. We must try every possible avenue to initiate talks. At the moment, Moscow is standing in the way of that."

The German minister arrived in Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Saturday for talks on defense cooperation and winter preparations.

A press release by Germany's Federal Foreign Office said that Wadephul traveled to Ukraine to mark the 35th anniversary of the country's independence, which is celebrated on Aug. 24.

The statement said a key focus of the visit is preparations for the coming winter, including providing generators and other energy equipment, as well as supporting Ukraine's energy sector and implementing measures to protect critical infrastructure.

Describing Ukraine as an "important security partner," the statement said Germany can learn from Ukraine's experience in "dealing with hybrid threats, modern warfare, and the resilience of state and societal structures."