Germany backs Ukraine's Zelenskiy despite Trump's call for his ouster

BERLIN- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul restated Berlin's support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday following US President Donald Trump's call for his removal and urged more pressure to be put on Russia to resume peace talks.

Wadephul said Germany remained by the side of Ukraine and its government "and fully support the President as he carries out his difficult duties."

The comments, at a leadership meeting of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), followed Trump's call on Saturday for Zelenskiy to be replaced and underlined Berlin's growing rift with Washington.

Trump, who last week announced a diesel supply deal with Russia, called for Ukraine to replace Zelenskiy and railed against Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.

Germany, the biggest European donor to Ukraine, said on Saturday it would maintain sanctions against Russia despite Trump's announcement that his administration had temporarily lifted US sanctions on Russian fuel.

Wadephul, who met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, said "consistency and clarity" were needed to support Ukraine and bring Moscow to negotiate.

"We don't need less pressure, we need more pressure on Putin to make him be ready to negotiate," Wadephul said. "That is what this moment requires and that's what the government stands for."

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke with Zelenskiy on Saturday and told him the UK would continue to strengthen its sanctions on Russia, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by James Mackenzie, editing by Alexandra Hudson/Reuters