German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has set a firm condition for any negotiations with Russia: the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
This stance was emphasized during a midterm election check-in Heilbronn, where Scholz condemned Russia's military presence in Ukraine as a resurgence of imperialism in Europe.
This is reported by Heilbronner Stimme.
He stated that dialogue with Russia is only possible once their troops have fully exited Ukrainian territory, marking a pragmatic approach in German foreign policy.
An article from Focus.de also highlights that Ukraine's allies have not officially supported negotiations with Russia beyond the Ukrainian peace formula.
This refers to the 10-point plan proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in November 2022, which demands the full withdrawal of Russian forces from illegally occupied Ukrainian territories and the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Despite skepticism from Western allies about Russia's willingness to engage in meaningful peace talks, Germany has decided to double its military aid budget for Ukraine in 2024.
Initially set at four billion euros, the amount has been increased to eight billion euros, making Germany the second-largest global contributor of military aid to Ukraine after the United States. This decision comes amidst waning Western support for Ukraine due to internal political struggles over aid funding in the U.S. and hesitancy among some EU members.
