German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is on his first diplomatic mission to Asia, visiting Japan and Indonesia, where he offered a detailed evaluation of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the international peace efforts underway.
During a conversation with DW in Jakarta, Wadephul acknowledged a positive shift in diplomatic momentum.
He noted that U.S. President Trump’s engagement has prompted even Russian leadership to consider pausing hostilities and exploring a peaceful settlement with Ukraine.
He characterized Trump’s mention of security guarantees for Ukraine as an optimistic development.
Still, he expressed skepticism about whether President Zelenskyy and President Putin would meet directly, pointing out that real change depends on Putin’s sincerity—and the dire situation on the ground remains unchanged.
In Tokyo, Wadephul called for intensified pressure on Russia and greater support for Ukraine, urging that any peace must include robust security assurances to safeguard Ukraine’s defense capabilities even after conflict reduction efforts .
In Jakarta, he turned his attention to China’s growing regional assertiveness, warning that actions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait threaten both Asian and European stability, particularly by jeopardizing critical global trade routes.
He also criticized China’s material support for Russia’s war effort, citing its supply of dual-use technologies and dependence for energy as key enablers of Moscow’s aggression.