The designated German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has pledged to continue Germany’s policy of supporting Ukraine and strengthening Germany’s global position, DW reported on 29 April.
“I think everyone, especially Vladimir Putin, must understand: we will stand by Ukraine. We will support Ukraine and offer it the opportunity to be on equal terms with Russia,” Wadephul told DW, following the announcement of his candidacy on 28 April.
The future foreign minister said that the German government intends to establish dialogue with US President Donald Trump’s administration regarding support for Kyiv in the ongoing war initiated by Russia. Berlin wants to “make it clear to the Trump administration that it is in their interest to have a very strong Ukraine as part of the European community.”
Wadephul said that strengthening Europe remains a key priority for Germany. The transatlantic relationship with the United States represents his second priority, which he acknowledged “is currently causing serious concern for all Europeans.”
The politician also confirmed Germany’s commitment to NATO principles. According to Wadephul, Germany’s security future is only possible within the framework of the North Atlantic Alliance. He said that European countries need to increase their defense budgets, as previously demanded by Donald Trump.
“Germany will take a leading position in this area as well. However, we also want to hear from Washington that they value our efforts and adhere to our common goals,” the politician added.
Wadephul’s appointment as Foreign Minister in Friedrich Merz’s government comes as little surprise, according to media reports. The 62-year-old from Schleswig-Holstein has served as a Bundestag deputy for 17 years, where he was deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. He is a lawyer specializing in medical and social law and a father of three.
Before his election to the Bundestag, Wadephul led the parliamentary faction in the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament. He later specialized in foreign and security policy. Additionally, he holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the reserves.
The future minister was previously a board member of the Petersburg Dialogue, a German-Russian forum established in 2001 and dissolved in Germany in 2023 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Following the start of the war, Wadephul became a harsh critic of Russia and a supporter of Ukraine, despite having previously backed the Nord Stream 2 project. In a 2023 interview, he advocated for Berlin to allow Ukraine to use German weapons to strike Russian territory.
Germany most recently held its federal parliamentary elections on 23 February2025. This was a snap election, called after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government collapsed following a lost vote of confidence in January 2025. The election was held six months earlier than originally scheduled, which would have been in September 2025. Johann Wadephul, a senior member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and an experienced defense and foreign policy expert, will be Germany’s next foreign minister under incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Read also:
- Drones and long-range systems control modern battlefield, expand “gray” zone
- British “coalition of the willing” troops in Ukraine will train, not fight
- Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi sings for Trump to support Ukraine and “crush the evil empire”
