A ceasefire and further negotiations for a retreat of Russian troops from Ukraine are urgently needed to help de-escalate the situation in the country, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday.
“However unrealistic this may seem right now, we must not fail to try to do that,” the chancellor told the German ZDF broadcaster. “What is going on right now is a war against the Ukrainian people,” he added.
He also warned it was of major importance to prevent a direct conflict between NATO and Russia, so there would be no decision for the organization’s military participation in the conflict.
At an early stage, the agreed sanctions against Russia showed an effect, Scholz said.
He also said he does not believe a regime change in Russia would solve the problems in the region as democracy is something that has to come from the people.
“There is no one button you can press to solve all the problems. The only way is being persistent trying to create a framework for negotiations and finding a consensus.”
When asked if he is surprised about Hungary and Poland uniting themselves to help Ukraine, he said, “Not at all.”
“The peoples who have come together in the European Union are also united because they have a common idea of democracy,” Scholz said.
