Ukraine ambassador urges Germany to “put Putin in his place”
Ukraine’s top diplomat in Germany urged Berlin and other Western states to punish Russia by extending sanctions

Ukraine’s top diplomat in Germany urged Berlin and other Western states to punish Russia by extending sanctions, banning energy imports and putting the NordStream 2 gas pipeline on hold after Moscow seized three Ukrainian ships near Crimea.
The ambassador even raised the possibility of sending German marines to the region.
Several senior European politicians have raised the possibility of new sanctions against Russia after the incident on Sunday, which the West fears could ignite a wider conflict near Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
“Germany must take a clear line ... and put (Russian President Vladimir) Putin in his place,” ambassador Andrij Melnyk told German radio on Wednesday. “Everything is at stake.”
“The club of sanctions should be wielded quickly... There should be a complete ban on gas and oil imports from Russia, NordStream 2 must be put on the ice,” he said, adding only such measures could stop Putin’s “brutal, hooligan-like” behavior.
Ukraine is already nervous about the prospect of the NordStream 2 pipeline which increases Europe’s reliance on Russian gas, fearing it will lose out on transit revenues.
“In military terms, what can you do? Sending German marines to the coast of Crimea ... could help stop an escalation. If you are there, Russians have fewer possibilities to act so brutally,” he said.
“If you don’t do anything, you can barely hope that this will come to an end,” said Melnyk.
So far, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for de-escalation and dialogue.
The foreign minister of Austria, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, has said any extension of sanctions imposed on Russia over its actions in Ukraine would depend on further information about the incident and how the two sides behave.
Russia opened fire on the Ukrainian boats, then seized them and their crews on Sunday. Moscow and Kiev have tried to pin blame on each other.
Statements of three of the 24 captured Ukrainians have been released on Tuesday by Russia's internal security service after Russian ships opened fire and seized three Ukrainian boats off the coast of Crimea.
Author Profile
Monika Walker is a senior journalist specializing in regional and international politics, offering in-depth analysis on governance, diplomacy, and key global developments. With a degree in International Journalism, she is dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices through factual reporting. She also covers world news across every genre, providing readers with balanced and timely insights that connect the Caribbean to global conversations.
Latest
- Saint Lucia records 48th homicide of 2025 as Gros Islet Shoo...
-
Israel-Qatar Tensions Escalate: Doha hosts emergency Arab-Is... -
Trinidad: Newborn baby dies 2 days after birth, police launc... -
Arima North Secondary fight caught on camera, parents raise... -
St. Vincent and the Grenadines records 26th homicide of 2025...