Germany Scholz after Trump phone call: Killing in Ukraine must end
Following his telephone conversation with future US President Donald Trump, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) expressed confidence that Europe and the US will continue to pull together in their support for Ukraine.
20.12.2024, 01:30
SDA
"But of course with a clear perspective that there will be a fair peace for Ukraine, which can defend its sovereignty, and that the killing will end," Scholz added at a press conference after the EU summit in Brussels. "It is very clear to me that we must do everything we can to make this possible."
Even with a President Trump, a coordinated Ukraine policy with the USA is needed. "My impression: that is also quite possible." It was the Chancellor's second meeting with Trump since his election victory on November 5. On January 20, the Republican is to be sworn in in Washington as the successor to Joe Biden, under whose leadership the USA has become Ukraine's most important ally and largest arms supplier. It is rather unusual for Scholz to speak to the future president on the phone for the second time before taking office.
Scholz: Ground troops "not an issue at all"
Scholz once again rejected the idea of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a possible ceasefire. He said that a concrete form of security architecture was "not really sensible to discuss at the moment". "But it has to be something that, in our view, is also structured transatlantically," he merely emphasized. However, there had been "no discussion about ground troops or anything like that, because that is not an issue at all".
Zelenskyi wants a troop presence
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who also attended the EU summit, had previously called on the European heads of state and government to support new French plans for an international troop presence in Ukraine. It is crucial that Europe makes a significant contribution to security guarantees for his country, Selensky said in a speech at the summit. Ukraine supports the Paris initiative for a military contingent in Ukraine within the framework of these guarantees and calls on other partners to join this deployment. "This will help to end the war," said Selensky.
The Ukrainian president did not give any details about the French initiative. It is likely that he is referring to considerations for a peacekeeping force to secure a possible ceasefire. However, a troop presence for military training programs for the Ukrainian armed forces is also conceivable. These could also represent a security guarantee for Ukraine.
What will Trump do after the inauguration?
The background to the current discussions about a possible peacekeeping force for Ukraine is the scenario that Trump, as US President, may try to pressure Ukraine and Russia into ceasefire negotiations. In return, he could threaten to stop military aid to Ukraine if it refuses.
Selensky painted a bleak picture in the event that Trump were to stop support altogether: "It is very difficult to support Ukraine without the help of the USA, and that is exactly what we will discuss with President Trump when he is in the White House."
No Christmas truce on the front line
At the end of the EU summit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reiterated his proposal for a ceasefire "at least over the three Orthodox Christmas holidays". "We must save lives", he said. He also did not understand why Russia and Ukraine could not exchange 700 prisoners for the festive period.
Selensky had already rejected both beforehand. The Hungarian proposal was Christmassy, he said - but Orban was not suitable as a mediator due to his proximity to Moscow. Ukraine had already brought home 3,500 of its prisoners in negotiations with Russia and would continue to do so.
Hungary has so far only been marginally involved in this exchange; the key players are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. A ceasefire is failing because both sides fear that the other side could improve its position in the meantime.
Orban refused to agree to the extension of the Russia sanctions, which expire at the end of January, at the EU summit. As the German Press Agency learned from several participants at the summit in Brussels, the Hungarian told the other heads of state and government that he still had to think about the matter. He does not want to make a decision until after Trump's inauguration. Orban had repeatedly criticized the sanctions as useless and bad for the European economy.
Russians continue to advance in Donbass
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military reported further heavy fighting in the east of the country. Russian soldiers had captured the village of Trudowe south of Kurakhove in the Donetsk region, reported the Ukrainian military blog "DeepState". On Thursday evening, the General Staff in Kiev named Kurakhove and Pokrovsk as the focal points of the fighting.
Ukrainian troops are also under pressure in the bridgehead they still hold in the Russian region of Kursk. According to the General Staff, there were 48 Russian assault attacks there alone on Thursday. The Russian army is also deploying North Korean soldiers near Kursk. A spokesman for the US Department of Defense said on Thursday that the Pentagon assumes that several hundred North Koreans have been injured or killed.
