German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that the demilitarisation of Ukraine was an unacceptable demand of Russia and suggested that European security must centre on a “strong” Ukraine.
Scholz made these remarks following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plans to forge a new alliance between the countries willing to strengthen Kiev against Moscow.
Starmer on Sunday hosted an emergency meeting in London, acknowledging countries are facing internal challenges, therefore limiting their chance of aiding Ukraine against Moscow.
However, speaking to journalists after the gathering, Scholz did not specify whether Berlin would deploy troops but emphasised continued financial and military support for Ukraine.
“We must support Ukraine financially and with military means,” he stated, noting that Berlin “alone has raised a total of €44 billion” for Kiev.
According to the Kiel Institute, Germany is the second-largest individual state donor to Ukraine, contributing approximately $18 billion in military and other aid after the United States.
“Secondly, we must know that at the core of any future peace, order must be the ability for Ukraine to defend itself and have a strong army… All security architectures must revolve around it,” he added.
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Meanwhile, Russia has strongly objected that the conflict was provoked by NATO’s eastward expansion towards its borders and has ruled out engaging in temporary ceasefire talks.
Insisting that Moscow maintains that peace can be achieved only if Ukraine commits to neutrality, demilitarisation, and denazification, and recognises the territorial realities on the ground.
Scholz, however, dismissed Moscow’s concerns, stating that “the Russian perspectives cannot be accepted" and that “the question of demilitarization that Russia's demands cannot be accepted.” He added that “Ukraine must be… so strong that it is not attacked again.”
After a lengthy phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump last month, the Kremlin indicated readiness to initiate the peace process.
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