Maintaining support for Ukraine – Scholz on main task of EU summit

That’s according to German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who spoke with reporters at the doorstep of the event in Brussels, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“We are gathering today in Europe at a critical moment. We must ensure continued support for Ukraine. This is a task that will also be important in the discussions at the European Council today. In my view, the primary task is to ensure that Europe’s financial and military support is maintained,” he noted.

Scholz also pointed out that it is necessary to act wisely “to ensure continued support from the United States in the coming months and years, since Ukraine also depends on their assistance for its defense.”

He stressed that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine should end with a just peace and the first step should be to cease hostilities in the air and at sea.

“This should also be the main task for the coming days, to ensure the prerequisites for a just and fair peace. It is important for Ukraine that this happens now. At the same time, it is very positive that the President of Ukraine has clearly stated that he can imagine that the weapons should now fall silent – in the air, at sea – in order to create the basis for a ceasefire and peaceful development,” the German Chancellor noted.

The head of the German government pointed out the importance of “Ukraine not being forced to accept an imposed peace, but receiving a just and fair peace that guarantees its sovereignty and independence.” “That is why the concrete proposals include a cessation of hostilities in the air and at sea, securing energy infrastructure, the possibility of prisoner exchanges and the return of abductees. This should be the basis for a ceasefire. But it must meet the necessary conditions, in particular ensuring a strong Ukrainian army even in peacetime,” he added.

Scholz also stressed that “the most important thing is to preserve Ukraine as a sovereign, independent, and democratic nation.”

“This will also be our task – in particular by confirming that Ukraine’s path to the European Union remains unwavering and that we guarantee our support along this process. It is also important to ensure that a democratic and sovereign Ukraine has a strong national defense and a strong army,” he added.

According to the Chancellor, Ukraine will not be able to achieve these goals on its own.

“Therefore, support for Ukraine from its European friends, within the European Union, in Europe and NATO in general, as well as from international partners, including Transatlantic allies, will remain critically important even in peacetime. It is about economically ensuring the possibility for Ukraine to have such a powerful army that it can defend itself, despite the smaller size of its economy. Security guarantees must be formed around this – this is a key task,” Scholz noted.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, today, March 6, a Special European Council is being held in Brussels, where the heads of state and government of the EU member states are considering ways to strengthen European defense and increasing assistance to Ukraine in the context of the statements and actions by the new U.S. administration to reduce the role of this country in maintaining European security and in military assistance to Ukraine.