Germany and France agreed to accelerate measures targeting Russia's war machine and to pursue actions against companies from third countries that support Russia's war. The two leaders called for secondary sanctions intended to disrupt Russia's operations in Ukraine. Both countries committed to send additional air defence hardware to Ukraine and to open a strategic dialogue about nuclear deterrence. Russian missiles and drones recently struck apartment blocks in Kyiv, killing at least 23 people and wounding about 50. Diplomatic momentum to end the conflict has slowed amid renewed U.S.-Russia dialogue and uncertainty over a Putin–Zelenskyy meeting.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have called for secondary sanctions aimed at disrupting Russia's war in Ukraine after holding the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers, with US President Donald Trump's diplomatic push yet to bring the three-and-a-half-year war to an end. The leaders of Europe's two biggest economies on Friday agreed to accelerate measures targeting Russia's war machine, including companies from third countries that support Russia's war, according to a joint statement after the meeting in the southern French port city of Toulon.
Russian missiles and drones ripped through apartment blocks in Kyiv on Thursday, killing at least 23 people, including four children and wounding approximately 50 others. The moves came as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict sparked by Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion of its neighbour appear to have lost steam after Trump moved to restore dialogue with Moscow at the start of his second presidency.
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