Scholz assures Ukraine of further help
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pledged further aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The SPD politician said in a video message published for the first time on Saturday: “We will continue to provide funds. We will help rebuild. We will continue to supply weapons that are urgently needed to defend Ukraine’s independence.”
Under the name of “Chancellor compact” According to the federal government, a video by Scholz on a central topic should appear weekly in the future – his predecessor Angela Merkel (CDU) also published a video message on Saturdays.
Scholz stressed that Russia had invaded Ukraine. Many people have already died, many houses, many towns and villages have been destroyed. “I have now boarded a train in Poland with Italian Prime Minister (Mario) Draghi and French President (Emmanuel) Macron and traveled to Kyiv. We looked at the destruction in Irpin near Kyiv. Awful.” Scholz was in Kyiv on Thursday.
The Chancellor said that it is now a matter of combining solidarity with a perspective. “Because many are fighting for freedom and democracy in Ukraine, they want to know that this will lead to Europe.” An EU accession candidate status is necessary for Ukraine. “We will now talk about this in Brussels. Already on Thursday. And try to get a “yes” 27 times to a specific decision, a joint decision by the European Union, which also opens up this perspective.”
During his visit to Kyiv, the chancellor spoke out in favor of Ukraine becoming a candidate country. In a TV interview conducted in English by the German Press Agency on Friday, Scholz expressed his confidence that the EU member states will find a common position on Ukraine’s application for membership. (dpa)
