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German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned that Germany could become Russia’s next target if Ukraine fails to withstand Moscow’s military pressure.
Speaking to public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, Wadephul said Germany’s support for Ukraine is an independent commitment and not contingent on other actors.
“If this goes wrong, if it fails in Ukraine, we would be next. That is why we will give our full commitment to Ukraine,” he said.
Wadephul added that Russia should clearly understand that Germany and Europe stand alongside Ukraine.
He said Berlin would continue working to ensure Ukraine remains in a strong negotiating position and has the means to respond to what he described as Russia’s war of aggression if talks fail.
Wadephul said it is now up to Moscow to make the next move toward a ceasefire in Ukraine.
His comments followed statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggesting Kyiv could consider renouncing NATO membership in exchange for security guarantees and negotiations based on current front lines.
“If those are Ukraine’s offers, then that is a line that Russia can agree to,” Wadephul said.
Ukrainian-American talks began in Berlin on Sunday, with further consultations planned between Zelenskyy and a U.S. delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Zelenskyy was also scheduled to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz later Monday, followed by a European summit involving French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
An E.U. summit is expected Thursday to decide whether frozen Russian state assets should be used to support Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the new head of Britain’s MI6 foreign intelligence service warned that Russia is “exporting chaos” in what she described as a new era of global uncertainty.
Blaise Metreweli, the first woman to lead the Secret Intelligence Service, was set to deliver her first public speech at MI6 headquarters in London.
According to remarks released in advance, she warned of the threat posed by an “aggressive, expansionist and revisionist” Russia.
“The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in the Russian approach to international engagement,” Metreweli was expected to say, adding that such behavior would continue unless Russian President Vladimir Putin changes his approach.
Metreweli also highlighted the growing complexity of global threats, saying the “front line is everywhere” due to cyber disruption, hybrid warfare, terrorism and information manipulation.
In a separate speech later Monday, Britain’s Chief of Defence Staff Richard Knighton was expected to warn that the security situation is more dangerous than at any point in his career.
“The situation is more dangerous than I have known during my career and the response requires more than simply strengthening our armed forces,” Knighton was expected to say, calling for broader national resilience.
Knighton was set to announce £50 million in funding for new Defence Technical Excellence Colleges to help train personnel for the defence sector.
The warnings come as British officials continue to raise concerns about Russian activities.
The U.K. government recently said a Russian military ship was sighted near British waters.
The U.K. Ministry of Defence has also launched a new Military Intelligence Services organization to unify intelligence gathering and sharing across the army, navy and air force.
According to the ministry, the move comes amid escalating threats, including cyber-attacks, satellite disruption, risks to global shipping lanes and the spread of disinformation.
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