German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for stepping up diplomatic efforts to bring peace to Ukraine "faster" as the war continues into its third year.
The call comes at a time when Scholz is under mounting pressure at home amid signs of public fatigue with the conflict that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
"I believe now is the time to discuss how we can get out of this war situation and achieve peace faster," Scholz was quoted by AFP as saying.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland) party and the far-left BSW party - which want to end arms supplies to Ukraine - made huge gains in two regional elections in Germany last week, while Scholz's coalition parties took a hit.
Germany is the second-largest donor of aid to Ukraine after the United States, and Scholz's government has repeatedly promised to continue support "for as long as necessary."
Scholz said Russia should attend the next international peace summit to end the war, after Moscow was excluded from the first one.
"It is important that we make progress," Scholz said.
"There will certainly be another peace conference," he said, "and the (Ukrainian) president and I agree that it should include Russia."
Leaders and senior officials from more than 90 countries gathered in Switzerland in June for the first summit hosted by Ukraine, and Russia was not invited.
Kiev is aiming for a second peace summit this year, and President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated in late July that Russia must attend to achieve "meaningful results."
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was ready for talks with Ukraine, having previously rejected the idea while Kiev's counter-offensive in Russia's Kursk region lasted.
In the past, the Kremlin has insisted that any peace agreement would have to force Kiev to give up territories Moscow considers its own - an unacceptable condition for Ukraine. | BGNES
