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German president speaks against pushing Ukraine toward talks with Russia

According to Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the current situation looks like its resolution depends on the outcome on the battlefield

BERLIN, July 3. /TASS/. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has spoken against pushing Ukraine towards talks with Russia.

"Ukraine should regain its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. We should create such an environment for Ukraine when it has what to negotiate about, we should reinforce it begore the talks begin," he said in an interview with the ZDF television channel.

According to Steinmeier, the current situation looks like its resolution depends on the outcome on the battlefield.

"We will not push Ukraine. It is up to Ukraine when to embark on this path [of peace talks]," he stressed.

"We may have several more tough years ahead," he said, touching upon the impacts of the situation in Ukraine on Germany.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aimed to demilitarize and denazify the country. In response, the West imposed large-scale anti-Russian sanctions and increased weapons supplies to Kiev.