No decisions for Ukraine without Ukrainians, German chancellor says

BERLIN

Decisions about a potential peace deal in Ukraine must include Ukrainians, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday.

“No decision can be made over the heads of the Ukrainians. This applies to us, as well as to everyone else. We must work with the Ukrainians to explore what is possible,” Scholz told reporters in Brussels.

His remarks came amid uncertainty over US President-elect Donald Trump's possible diplomatic moves, as he indicated plans to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine, after taking office next month.

Chancellor Scholz said he had a meeting on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and several other European allies, where they discussed the latest developments in the conflict that continues since 2022.

“We will continue our discussions today. This is necessary because we are now in a very special situation. The war has been going on for a very long time,” he said, stressing that EU member states should step up their support, and ensure that Ukraine will remain in a strong position.

“I’ve used the opportunity yesterday, and will do so again today, to encourage everyone to look again at what they can provide, in terms of air defense, artillery, ammunition. Everything that is necessary for Ukraine to maintain its independence and sovereignty,” he said.

Regarding potential peace talks, Scholz emphasized that European nations must adhere to clear principles, stressing that Ukraine must be included in all decisions about its future. He firmly said that no dictates from Moscow would be accepted.

“We must also not lose sight of two major tasks that we are now facing and that we must address,” he said. “Firstly, the killing must stop. We must get to a situation where peace is possible, and it must also be very clear that there must be no escalation of the war into a war between Russia and NATO."