In it, the federal government is called upon to "put itself at the head of a strong alliance for a ceasefire and for peace negotiations" at both German and European level, instead of continuing to deliver weapons to Ukraine. It says that Ukraine cannot win a war against the world's largest nuclear power. Negotiation means "compromising, on both sides".

The demands of the petition are controversial. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers and the French newspaper "Ouest-France" (Friday editions) that he currently sees no chance for diplomatic initiatives to end the war in his country. "I like anyone who wants to achieve peace through diplomatic initiatives," Kuleba said. "But how can such an initiative work? Should the price of peace be that Russia remains in the occupied territories?"

French President Emmanuel Macron also sees no scope for negotiations with Moscow in the Ukraine war. It is "not the time for dialogue" with Russia, Macron said on Friday at the Munich Security Conference. Russia has "chosen war". Negotiations could only take place under conditions that "Ukraine chooses," Macron said.