The chancellor’s feedback comply with repeated requests by Ukrainian politicians for fighter jets after battle tanks have been pledged for the warfare towards Russia.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz as soon as once more dismissed calls for in Germany and Ukrainian officers for fighter jets to repel the Russian invasion, urging Western nations to not be a part of the “bidding warfare” for superior weapons.
Final week, Germany introduced that it will ship its Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine after weeks of stress from NATO and European Union allies.
“The truth that we simply decided [on sending tanks] And already the following dialogue [fighter jets] It flares up in Germany – it simply appears trivial and undermines folks’s confidence within the authorities’s choices, “mentioned Schultz V Interview With the German newspaper Tagesspiegel on Sunday.
“I can solely advise towards getting right into a bidding warfare for weapons programs.”
Ukrainian Deputy Overseas Minister Andriy Melnik pressured Germany to acquire dozens of its Twister fight plane, urging the worldwide group to affix his nation’s “fighter plane alliance”.
I’ve a artistic proposal for our German associates. The Bundeswehr has 93 Twister multirole fight plane that may quickly be retired and changed by the F-35.
Though she is an outdated fighter, she continues to be very sturdy. Why is that this Twister not delivered to Ukraine @worker? pic.twitter.com/KxTZdUQLAS– Andrej Melnyk (@MelnykAndrij) January 15, 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as soon as once more requested Western nations to produce his nation with extra superior weapon programs in his each day deal with on Saturday. Zelensky particularly talked about the Military’s Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
“There could be no arms embargo to guard towards Russian terrorism,” mentioned the Ukrainian president.
Russia final week condemned the supply of NATO battle tanks to Ukraine, calling it “direct and rising” proof of US and European involvement within the warfare.
“Hold speaking” to Putin
The German chief additionally mentioned he would proceed contacting Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressing the significance of sustaining an open channel of communication so as to discover an finish to Russia’s warfare on Ukraine.
The tone of the conversations, Scholz mentioned, was “not rude, however after all our views are very totally different.”
“And I’ll hold calling Putin – as a result of now we have to maintain speaking to one another,” he mentioned.
The final telephone name to Putin was in early December. The Russian chief mentioned on the time that the German and Western line on Ukraine was “harmful” and referred to as on Berlin to rethink its method.
Scholz mentioned the talks have been principally about “concrete points” akin to prisoner exchanges, Ukraine’s grain exports, and the destiny of the Zaporizhia nuclear energy plant.
“For me, it can be crucial that the talks proceed to return to the principle level: How does the world get out of this horrible state of affairs? The situation is evident: the withdrawal of Russian forces,” Schultz mentioned within the interview.
No escalation
Schultz additionally warned that NATO shouldn’t be drawn right into a warfare with Moscow.
He pressured that “the critically sworn German chancellor should do every part doable to make sure that Russia’s warfare towards Ukraine doesn’t flip right into a warfare between Russia and NATO,” including that he wouldn’t “permit such an escalation.”
The Leopard 2 announcement, adopted shortly thereafter by an American pledge of M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv, angered the Kremlin.
In the mean time, there are not any agreed talks [with Scholz] within the desk. RIA Novosti quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Putin was and stays open to contacts.
Germany is the second largest donor of army gear to Ukraine after the USA, based on the Kiel Institute for the World Economic system, forward of different European powers akin to France and Britain.