German Chancellor Olaf Scholz considers it necessary and intends to continue the dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “In this situation we have to talk continuously, what I did in the past and what I will do again in the future,” said the head of the German government, answering questions from the editors of the Heilbronner Vestnik Stimme. “But negotiations between Ukraine and Russia require a decisive step on the part of Russia – that means withdrawing troops. This is something that Vladimir Putin is clearly not yet ready for,” the chancellor said.
Scholz answered in the affirmative when asked if his government had a long-term strategy to support Ukraine. The German authorities will not weaken their efforts to provide assistance to Kiev. “It’s also clear to us that we have to be prepared for the long-term conflict that’s going on there,” he said. The chancellor argued that the goal in the situation around Ukraine is to draw attention to the conflict from as many countries as possible. The German authorities are ready to support Kiev “as much as necessary”, both “financially and with arms supplies”.
On Saturday, the Bild newspaper, citing German defense ministry sources, reported that the German government intends to increase military aid to Ukraine from EUR 4 billion to EUR 8 billion in 2024.
In early November, the German government announced the delivery of 25 more Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine, promised earlier. The new batch of weapons transferred to Kiev also included reconnaissance drones and radars. The total volume of aid to Ukraine from Germany – humanitarian, financial and military – in the last year and a half amounts to about EUR 24 billion.
Scholz also commented on the situation in the Gaza Strip, opposing an immediate ceasefire or a long humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip, as he said this would give the radical Hamas movement some breathing room to rebuild.
“I don’t think some of the demands for an immediate cease-fire or a long pause, which is basically the same thing, are right, because ultimately that would mean that Israel would have to give Hamas a chance to rest and get new rockets to launch again. That cant happen. will agree,” said the head of the German government.
Scholz noted that he thought only short humanitarian pauses “could make sense” for the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip, the departure of citizens of other countries from there, the removal of the wounded and the release of hostages.
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2023-11-12 19:10:00
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