German Chancellor Scholz open to new negotiations with Russian president, if Putin is "ready to act" and withdraw troops
Photo: Reuters
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he is "ready for new negotiations" with Russian President Putin. However, this "will make sense" only if Putin "will be ready to act."
Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported this.
Scholz called on Putin to "take the first step towards a possible peaceful settlement in Ukraine."
"He [President of Russia Vladimir Putin – ed.] must withdraw the troops. However, there is currently no indication that this will happen. Putin should not succeed in his goal of using force to annex a part of a neighboring country," the chancellor emphasized.
Scholz and Putin last spoke by phone on December 2, 2022. The chancellor repeatedly stated that he is "ready for further negotiations, but at the same time, Putin must make visible changes."
Scholz repeatedly assured Ukraine that "assistance in the defense against the Russian invasion will be provided as much as necessary."
For reference:
Germany has become one of the countries that help Ukraine, providing military, political, and financial support.
Berlin provided several types of artillery, Leopard tanks of older and newer modifications, IRIS-T and Patriot air defense systems, ammunition, vehicles, drones, and other weapons.
The German government announced that it would allocate 200 million euros to Ukraine. The money will be used to rebuild the country.
Germany also recently provided Ukraine with a new package of military aid. It includes components for IRIS-T air defense systems, armored vehicles, and various drones.
In addition, Ukraine will soon receive another Patriot anti-aircraft missile system from Germany. Currently, there are two divisions of this air defense on combat duty.
According to Bettina Stark-Watzinger, the Minister of Education and Scientific Research of the Federal Republic of Germany, Germany will assist Ukraine in its reconstruction efforts by establishing centers of excellence. She made this announcement during a gathering in Berlin commemorating the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian-German scientific and technical collaboration.
