Ukrainian Ambassador to Berlin Oleksiy Makeyev hopes that the incoming German government will put more pressure on companies to give up their business in Russia, DPA reported, BTA reports.
If companies are still operating there after three years of Russia's war in Ukraine, they are helping to finance Moscow's war efforts through taxes, Makeyev told reporters.
"I expect the new government to send a clear signal to the economy: Leave Russia!", he added on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion and a day after the German parliamentary elections.
Due to Western sanctions, many German companies have already stopped doing business in Russia. However, there are still companies operating in areas that are not subject to sanctions, such as food, consumer goods, healthcare and construction materials. Both Makeyev and the Polish ambassador to Berlin, Jan Tombinski, told reporters that they hoped for a quick formation of a German government.
Makeyev said he had been told in advance that the German government would remain capable of making decisions on Ukraine until a new cabinet was formed.
The likely future German chancellor, CDU leader Friedrich Merz, had made it clear during the election campaign that he wanted to take a leading role in Europe in support of Ukraine, the ambassador added.