German Chancellor Olaf Scholz published a “message” to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin after his visit to Kyiv on December 2, in which he emphasized that Germany’s support for Ukraine will continue.
“My message from Kyiv to Putin: We are in this for the long haul. Our support for Ukraine will not waiver. We will stand by the Ukrainian people—for as long as it takes,” Scholz wrote in his X.
On December 2, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made an unannounced visit to Kyiv for the first time in two and a half years. Also on that day, Scholz announced a military aid package for Ukraine.
The last time Scholz visited Ukraine was in June 2022, together with French President Emmanuel Macron and then-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Scholz announced preparation of a military aid package for Ukraine
Scholz announced the preparation of a €650 million military aid package for Ukraine. The package will include the IRIS-T air defense system, Patriot launchers, and Gepard self-propelled artillery systems, and Kyiv will receive it before the end of the year.
In the Ukrainian capital, Scholz conveyed a message to Russian dictator Putin, with whom he recently had a phone conversation on November 15.
Scholz’s phone conversation with Putin
On November 15, Olaf Scholz had a telephone conversation with Putin for the first time in almost two years. DW reported that the conversation lasted about an hour. In the conversation, he condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and called on Putin to withdraw his troops.
Scholz also stated that Germany is prepared to assist Ukraine when necessary. Before the conversation, the German Chancellor also spoke with the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
According to Reuters, Zelenskyy warned Chancellor Scholz against calling Putin.
After the conversation, the President of Ukraine criticized the German leader’s initiative and emphasized that it was a Pandora’s box, because such talks are exactly what Putin wants.
The German tabloid Bild wrote that almost a month before the phone call between Scholz and Putin, it had been agreed upon with US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Olaf Scholz said that his call to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin was to demonstrate the West’s unwavering support for Ukraine.
Despite this unwavering support, Olaf Scholz continues to refuse to provide Ukraine with German-made long-range Taurus missiles, which could provide the country with an advantage in repelling Russian war aggression. In domestic politics, he has been criticized for this timid position.
