Peace cannot be imposed on Ukraine on someone else's terms - Scholz
Kyiv • UNN
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that peace cannot be imposed on Ukraine, and it is up to Ukraine to determine its own future. Germany will continue to support Ukraine and its path to the EU.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has emphasized that no peace can be imposed on Ukraine - it must determine its own future. He said this during a conversation with journalists, UNN reports.
It is absolutely clear to us that we must continue to support Ukraine. It should and can count on us to do so
According to him, Germany welcomes peace talks.
Scholz emphasized: "This does not mean that peace can be imposed, and that Ukraine should accept whatever is offered to it.
He assured that Berlin is closely coordinating its actions with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian leadership to support the country on its path to victory and recovery.
The Chancellor also reaffirmed his support for Ukraine's European course.
"It is clear to us that the country must continue its path to the European Union. It must be able to defend its democracy and sovereignty," Scholz added.
According to him, a strong army is an integral part of Ukraine's security, and Germany is ready to help strengthen the country's defense capabilities together with the US and other international partners.
Scholz emphasized that these principles are not subject to negotiation.
Europe needs to become stronger in security issues
The Chancellor also focused on the issue of strengthening the defense capabilities of Europe itself. He recalled the joint commitment of NATO member states to allocate at least 2% of GDP to defense, and noted that Germany is already meeting this target.
At the same time, some countries have not yet reached this point, but are moving in this direction.
Scholz also expressed Germany's readiness to allow member states that wish to invest more than 2% in their own defense to avoid EU financial restrictions:
"I am convinced that we will find ways to implement this.
Scholz emphasized the need for an honest discussion on security funding, as support for Ukraine and Europe's defense capabilities requires significant resources. The Chancellor said that Germany should allocate an additional 30 billion euros annually to maintain current defense spending, including support for Ukraine.
He categorically rejected the idea of financing these costs by cutting social programs or infrastructure projects, as he believes this would not find support among citizens.
The Chancellor made it clear that Germany remains a reliable partner of Ukraine and is ready to support it for as long as it takes. Peace cannot be achieved through coercion, and the future of Ukraine is solely in the hands of Ukrainians themselves.
Recall
Germany handed over another military aid package, which included drones, Zuzana 2 self-propelled artillery systems, ammunition and missiles of various types, as well as other weapons and equipment.
