15 May / 2024
February 14, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the press office of State Duard Department reported.
“It is our job to ensure that we prevent a war in Europe, in that we send a clear message to Russia that any military aggression would have consequences that would be very high for Russia and its prospects, and that we are united with our allies,” Scholz told the German parliament’s upper house on Friday.
“We note positively the fact that Chancellor Scholz will visit Kyiv before visiting Moscow. We do not have too high expectations, but this will be the first long substantive conversation between the German Chancellor and Ukraine’s President, where they synchronize the positions before the Chancellor travels to Moscow,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
Read also: Biden called Ukraine’s Zelensky amid diplomatic efforts to defuse crisis
Unlike its NATO allies Britain and the US, Germany has refused to send arms to Ukraine to help the country defend itself from possible Russian aggression. Kyiv wants Berlin to change that policy and send weapons.
Western countries are winding down their diplomatic missions and urging their citizens to leave immediately after a frantic week of diplomacy failed to calm one of the most explosive standoffs since the Cold War.
Read also: Ukraine holds late Friday talks with US, Germany, EU amid new risks of Russian invasion
February 8, presidents of France and Poland, Emmanuel Macron and Andrzej Duda, as well as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, discussed Russian escalation around Ukraine. A day before, Chancellor Scholz paid an official visit to Washington to coordinate policies with President Biden on deterring Russian full-fledged invasion. Germany and US are “absolutely united” on Russia sanctions, he assured. February 7, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Kyiv, Berlin and Kyiv traced common red lines. We have gathered the key messages of the German position here.
