Berlin, July 04, 2024, The Europe Today: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed on Wednesday that Germany would not become a party to the war in its defensive support for Ukraine against Moscow.
While Germany has been one of Ukraine’s largest weapons suppliers, Scholz has consistently opposed the idea of sending military personnel. His latest remarks reiterate that Germany should not become directly involved in the conflict.
Chancellor’s Commitment on Ukraine
During a parliamentary questions session, a socialist Left Party lawmaker asked Scholz to guarantee that Germany would not become a “party in the war.”
“Yes, I give this guarantee,” responded Scholz, a center-left Social Democrat. “As chancellor, I stand by that.”
Scholz has previously rejected the deployment of German soldiers to the war zone, following French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of his intent to send military trainers to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long considered Germany and NATO as parties to the war due to their supply of weapons to Ukraine. However, this stance has not resulted in practical consequences so far.
Warning Against Capitulation-Based Ceasefire
Scholz also cautioned against supporting any ceasefire that would require Ukraine to capitulate.
“In my view, a ceasefire that involves Ukraine’s capitulation is one that we as Germany must never support,” he asserted.
Last month, Putin demanded that Ukraine effectively surrender if it wanted to begin peace talks.
Defense Spending and Economic Measures
Scholz assured NATO partners that Germany would continue to meet the 2% defense spending target in the coming years. The draft budget for 2025 will provide clarity on medium-term financial planning to address these challenges, he said.
The chancellor highlighted measures for a “growth booster” included in the budget, describing them as “a lot of very clever measures,” though he did not disclose specifics. “I like what I already know,” he added.
Although the three-party coalition has not yet finalized the consultations, Scholz expressed confidence that they were in the “final meters” and expected an agreement before Friday.
