Asselborn (LSAP) on Wednesday morning spoke with Radio 100,7 about the war in Ukraine, saying: “If the Russian people saw what Putin is destroying, how much fear he creates and how many deaths he is responsible for… In my opinion the Kremlin would be toppled. That would be all you could wish him, that he would really be physically eliminated so that this stops.”

Opposition parties criticised the comments. CSV president Claude Wiseler said he understands Asselborn’s anger but that the statement was inappropriate. The ADR submitted an urgent parliamentary question to prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP) asking if the statement had been approved by the government.

“I had just heard the description by the mayor of Kharkiv of the dramatic situation in his city,” Asselborn said in a statement on Wednesday evening. “He said that Putin’s troops were completely destroying Kharkiv, even a hospital had been bombed, many, many civilians had lost their lives in the street, fights and more were certain to follow.”

Russian rockets have pounded Kharkiv as Putin is stepping up his attack nearly one week into his invasion of Ukraine, and airborne troops have landed in the city.

“My reaction to the question whether a ‘solution’ could be found was that the war in Ukraine can only be halted if the actions of Putin can be stopped. I can see no other way. The two words ‘physically eliminate’ slipped my tongue. I know that a foreign minister should never use such words,” Asselborn said.

“Even after 18 years as a foreign minister, I am not able to suppress my emotions and my sense of justice, in the face of such immeasurable human suffering born by innocent people. This was a mistake, but also an outlet valve, in an attempt to cope with the situation. I accept the criticism, it is valid. I will not bury my head in the sand.”

Asselborn in parliament on Tuesday had said not be hopeful about the outcome of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.