
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President-elect Donald Trump pledged to expedite efforts to achieving a āfair, just, and sustainable peaceā in Ukraine.
While attending the European Council summit in Brussels, Scholz engaged with Trump via phone, according to German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit, as reported by Politico. The summit focused on evaluating the European Unionās stance in global politics and adapting to a potentially reduced U.S. involvement in Ukraine under Trumpās administration.
ā agreed that the Russian war against Ukraine had gone on for far too long and that it was important to get on the path to a fair, just and sustainable peace as soon as possible,ā Hebestreit said.
Amid these discussions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also present in Brussels, actively sought to bolster European defense commitments, Politico reported. In a response to inquiries about Trumpās upcoming presidency, Zelenskyy expressed optimism, urging Trump to aid in concluding the conflict.
In light of these developments, Zelenskyy said European assurances alone were inadequate and said he needsāreal guaranteesā from NATO, including pivotal support from the U.S.
āEuropean guarantees wonāt be sufficient for Ukraine,ā Zelenskyy said.
Trump previously commented on the Ukraine war, describing it as one of the most severe conflicts since World War II. He said heās committed to ending the āhorribleā war between Ukraine and Russia, highlighting the extensive destruction and high casualty rates that have left cities in ruins and unlivable.
āWhen you look at whatās happened to those, I mean, there are cities that thereās not a building standing. Itās a demolition site. Thereās not a building standing. So people canāt go back to those cities. Thereās nothing there. Itās just rubble,ā Trump said.
Trump has also tapped retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as the new special envoy to Russia and Ukraine. Praising Kellogg on Truth Social, Trump cited Kelloggās extensive experience in the military and business sectors.
Meanwhile, Scholz maintains a consistent but cautious stance on military support for Ukraine, Politico reported. He has repeatedly expressed concerns about supplying Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles, arguing that this could provoke a broader conflict with Russia and potentially lead to retaliatory actions against Germany.
At the same time, Scholz has publicly reaffirmed Germanyās support for Ukraine and promised to stand by Kyiv āfor as long as it takesā and stressed the importance of not escalating the war furtherā. His approach also reflects a strategic alignment with NATO and the Western alliance, promising swift responses and coordinated actions in the event of a Russian invasion, as discussed during meetings with U.S. officials and other NATO members.
(Featured Image Media Credit:Ā Screen Capture/CSPAN)
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