Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has issued a warning to European nations regarding the potential halt of American aid to Ukraine, according to an interview published on Wednesday.
In an interview with the German weekly newspaper “Die Zeit,” Scholz called on European countries to increase their military support for Ukraine, stating that the contributions of the twenty-seven European nations “are not significant enough.”
Scholz stated, “Europe must do more to support Ukraine in defending its country,” emphasizing that “the contributions planned by European countries until 2024 are not significant enough.”
The Chancellor expressed his frustration with regular criticism in Germany over his hesitancy to provide support to Ukraine. Opposition conservatives and lawmakers from the Free Democratic Party (liberals) and the Green Party, all part of the coalition government, have been pressuring Scholz for months to deliver long-range “Taurus” missiles requested by Ukraine.
He defended himself by stating that Germany is doing “much more” than other European countries, pointing out that his country currently provides over half of Europe’s military support to Ukraine and that it would be “absurd to believe that we can do this on our own in the long run.”
Scholz added, “That’s why I frequently contact my colleagues and ask them to make more efforts.”
During a phone call on Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Scholz reaffirmed that Germany would continue to support Kyiv, including in the military field, in close coordination with its European and international partners, according to a statement from the German government.
