German chancellor warns against abandoning Ukraine in war with Russia
What matters now is ‘ensuring that Ukraine is not left alone and that we continue to supply weapons,' Scholz says
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday warned against abandoning Ukraine in its war with Russia.
“Russia is waging a brutal and merciless war of aggression against Ukraine, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and injured. We must do everything we can to ensure that Ukraine is not left alone and remains a sovereign state,” Scholz said in an interview with the T-Online news website.
“We support Ukraine as much as possible. At the same time, we are acting prudently so that there is no escalation or war between Russia and NATO. That is why I said clearly that I will not deliver the Taurus cruise missile,” he added.
Donald Trump's US presidential election victory has cast a spotlight on what military and financial assistance Ukraine could expect from Europe.
Trump has questioned US aid to Ukraine, and has claimed to end the war, which continues since February 2022, swiftly.
Scholz called on Ukraine's western allies to step up military support for Kyiv.
What matters now is “ensuring that Ukraine is not left alone and that we continue to supply weapons. What would be more important now is for everyone to see whether they can do more to further support Ukraine,” he said.
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The chancellor stressed that now is the time “to create the basis for a fair and sustainable peace” as according to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin had failed to reach his war objectives.
Germany, where a new election is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2025, announced on Monday an extensive new arms package for Ukraine in its war to fight off neighboring Russia, now well past 1,000 days old.
The arms deal includes 15 Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks, two Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, a self-propelled howitzer 2000, two Iris-T anti-aircraft systems, and two Patriot missile launch bases.
After the US, Germany is the second-largest supporter of Ukraine with weapons and other forms of aid.
Scholz lost a confidence vote on Dec. 16 and leads a minority government after his three-party coalition collapsed on Nov. 6 when he fired his finance minister.
Key election issues include immigration, economy, and support for Ukraine.
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