Olaf Scholz. Photo: Kay Nietfield / AFP
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who faced a wave of criticism over his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reaffirmed Germany’s resolve to support Ukraine on Sunday. He assured that no decision on ending the war would be made without Kyiv, AFP reports.
“Ukraine can count on us. This is a principle that remains unshakable: no decision will be made behind Ukraine’s back,” Scholz said at a press conference at Berlin airport before leaving for the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
The conversation with Putin: purpose and consequences
The phone call with Putin, the first in almost two years, caused outrage in Kyiv. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Scholz of “opening Pandora’s Box”. However, the chancellor insists that this contact was necessary:
“It was important to make it clear to [Putin] that he could not count on Germany, Europe and other countries in the world to weaken their support for Ukraine,” Scholz explained.
Scholz also noted that Donald Trump’s promises that he could end the war without explaining how, prompted him to take this diplomatic step. In his opinion, Germany should remain an active participant in the negotiation process to prevent backroom deals involving Russia and the United States.
Germany’s position and role in supporting Ukraine
Scholz stressed that Germany is one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine in Europe, especially in the context of military assistance and arms supplies.
Nevertheless, he admitted that the conversation with Putin did not bring about any changes in the Russian president’s position.
“The conversation was detailed, but I understood that the Russian president’s views on the war have not changed much. And this is bad news,” Scholz said.
Political pressure on Scholz
The situation around Scholz is complicated by internal political struggles. On the eve of possible early elections in February, his position is weakened by the lack of a stable majority in parliament. Pressure is growing within the coalition to call on Scholz to give way to the popular Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.
The Chancellor, however, assured that he plans to fight for a second term and continue to support Ukraine, despite political challenges at home and criticism from abroad.
