Following the 17 February European emergency summit on Ukraine in Paris, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has advocated for loosening spending regulations at both German and European levels. He also called the discussions on possible deployment of German peacekeepers in Ukraine “premature.”
Die Welt reports that Scholz said:
“It is quite clear that our continued and still necessary support for Ukraine is only possible if we can decide to finance it separately.”
The Chancellor explained that financing through cuts elsewhere in the German federal budget would fail and would not find support among the population. He stated that at the European level, he had proposed giving individual member states greater flexibility in this regard.
When asked about stationing German soldiers in Ukraine as part of a peace solution, Scholz responded that it was “completely premature and entirely the wrong time to have this discussion now.”
According to Die Welt, Scholz was “even somewhat irritated” by these debates.
“Here, discussions are taking place over the heads of Ukraine about the results of peace talks that haven’t happened, to which Ukraine hasn’t agreed and hasn’t sat at the table, about possible outcome variations. This is highly inappropriate,” the Chancellor stated. “We don’t even know what the result will be. We are not yet at peace, but in the middle of a war brutally waged by Russia, which continues to be pushed forward without consideration”
Scholz emphasized that Ukraine must be able to “continue its path into the European Union.” The country must be able to defend its democracy and sovereignty and maintain its “own strong army.”
“These things are not up for negotiation. And making that clear, I believe, is important for all of us,” he stated.
Last week, US President Donald Trump held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin without coordinating with the EU beforehand.
Scholz stressed that there should be “no division of security and responsibility between Europe and the USA.” NATO is based on acting together, Scholz cautioned. This should not be questioned.
Regarding the Paris meeting, attended by the leaders of the EU’s most powerful nations, Britain, NATO, and the EU, Scholz stressed that the summit was a “necessary” “informal” discussion, rather than the format, in which decisions are made.
The outgoing German leader said “We will continue to support Ukraine,” adding that “there must not be a dictated peace.”
Related:
- NATO chief: Europe ready to step up to lead Ukraine security guarantees
- Ceasefire without security guarantees will fail like Minsk agreements, Macron warns
- British MPs call for debate on Ukraine peacekeeping force
- Top Russian, US officials set to hold talks on Ukraine without Ukraine, EU
- Zelenskyy, Macron agree that Ukraine needs strong security guarantees
- “Unthinkable”: French FM Barrot rejects Russia’s G7 return, citing aggression and security threat
- Zelenskyy rejects to recognize US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia excluding Ukraine
