Ukraine’s partners will continue to support the nation, while Russia’s demands for Ukraine’s demilitarization and imposing Russia-loyal leadership are unacceptable.
This was stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz following an informal meeting of leaders in London, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“It is important that everyone here confirmed that they are willing to support Ukraine. It is a victim, a country that has been attacked by Russia, and this is a truth that is always completely clear to everyone. And this means that we must act accordingly,” Scholz emphasized.
For Germany, this means continued financial and military support. The Chancellor recalled that Germany is Ukraine’s biggest supporter. According to the Chancellor, Germany has allocated a total of EUR 44 billion for comprehensive assistance.
Transatlantic support for Ukraine, the head of government said, is important for Europe’s security.
He reiterated that one basic principle must apply: no decisions without Ukraine. This means that Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence must be preserved, and only Ukraine itself can decide its future, and not someone else for it or on its behalf, Scholz stressed.
He believes that a possible starting point for negotiations is to end the shelling.
In his opinion, leaders must also think about the future. “Firstly, Ukraine in this situation can rely on help, because Russia continues its brutal war… Secondly, the future peace order must be based on the principle that Ukraine will be able to defend itself independently, and therefore have a strong army. It is huge today, thanks to the help from many friends. And it must remain large in times of peace… Any future security architecture must foresee a powerful Ukrainian army in the long term. And this will require significant resources, even if the war is over,” he noted.
Scholz called this a task for European economies, as well as the economies of many other countries that support Ukraine.
“Of course, this means that Russian prospects cannot be accepted. Russia has always sought to establish a government in Ukraine that would dance to the Russian tune. This cannot be accepted. Ukraine is a European country that has decided to join the EU. It is a democratic and sovereign nation that must remain that way,” the politician said.
The second issue is demilitarization, he stressed. Russia constantly insists on this. This also cannot be accepted, the Chancellor emphasized. According to Scholz, Ukraine must be strong enough not to become a victim of aggression again.
Today’s meeting, according to Scholz, was also important because everyone agreed that the Transatlantic partnership will remain important not only now, but also in the future – for the security of the United States, Canada, and Europe. And now it is about how this cooperation between Europe and NATO can be further strengthened and developed, he noted.
As reported, a summit on the situation in Ukraine was held in London on March 2. The summit was organized by the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. The event addressed the challenges facing Ukraine and all of Europe, the fight against Russian aggression and the search for ways to a just and sustainable peace. In particular, it was about how to strengthen Ukraine’s positions – by continuing military assistance and increasing economic pressure on Russia, etc.
Source: Russia's demands for Ukraine’s demilitarization “unacceptable” - Scholz
