MOSCOW, August 10. /TASS/. The Russian Union of Journalists has called for the immediate dismissal and professional disciplinary measures against Michael Martens, a correspondent for the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), due to his inflammatory anti-Russian statements, RUJ Chairman Vladimir Solovyov told TASS.

Earlier, during a press conference held by Vladimir Zelensky and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Martens posed a provocative question about what European nations could do to "help kill more Russians." In response, an online petition was launched calling for the journalist’s removal from his post.

Vladimir Solovyov condemned Martens’ conduct as a blatant breach of both journalistic ethics and moral standards. "He not only violated the professional code of journalism but also crossed the bounds of human decency," he emphasized. The RUJ chairman expressed doubts about Western professional communities’ willingness to appropriately address the incident.

"This situation starkly shows that some 'journalists' in unfriendly countries are deeply influenced by their own propaganda," Solovyov remarked. "Regrettably, we cannot expect meaningful action from the German Union of Journalists - they have long discarded solidarity and ethical standards, repeatedly demanding the expulsion of Russian media representatives. Likewise, international journalistic federations seem unconcerned about such incidents and turn a blind eye to the threats and violence faced by our journalists."