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Ukraine news: Scholz emphasizes cohesion in the West | Current Europe | DW

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Ukraine news: Scholz emphasizes cohesion in the West |  Current Europe |  DW

The essentials in brief:

  • Scholz: Putin underestimated the unity of the West
  • Von der Leyen: No evidence of weapons from China
  • Zelenskyj: Punishing the aggressors is not a dream
  • Finland relies on NATO’s deterrence potential

Russian President Vladimir Putin “misjudged the unity of Europe, the United States and all of Ukraine’s friends, as well as the constant supply of arms that we make available to Ukraine,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz in English in an interview with the US Broadcaster CNN. This is how the Ukrainians were able to defend their country. “And they will also be able to do this in the future,” said Scholz. At the same time, he confirmed that there would be further arms deliveries.

“We are now Ukraine’s strongest supporter in continental Europe and we will continue to be,” said Scholz, referring to Germany. Germany spent 14 billion euros last year in one way or another to support Ukraine.

The Chancellor went on to say that Germany had made itself independent of supplies of gas, coal and oil from Russia. “A year ago nobody really expected that we would easily survive economically in a situation where there were no more gas supplies from Russia to Germany and many parts of Europe.” But Germany has increased imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from western parts of Europe, built new terminals in northern Germany and extended the lifespan of nuclear power plants. “And so we did it – and nothing of what some people expected happened. There is no economic crisis in Germany, there is no gas shortage or anything like that.”

Von der Leyen: No evidence of weapons from China

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed reservations about sanctions against China if the People’s Republic should deliver weapons to Russia. “So far we have no evidence of this, but you have to watch it every day,” said von der Leyen during a joint appearance with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the cabinet meeting in Meseberg near Berlin. Scholz emphasized: “We all agree that there must be no arms deliveries.” He added: “The Chinese government has stated that it will not deliver either. We demand that and we are monitoring it.”

Zelenskyj: Punishing the aggressors is not a dream

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he is firmly convinced that those responsible in Russia for the Ukraine war await their just punishment. “All Russian murderers, every organizer of this aggression, everyone who in any way causes the war against our country and terror against our people, they all must be punished,” stressed Zelenskyy. The foundation for this was laid recently at the international conference “United for Justice” in Lviv. Punishing those responsible is “not just a dream of justice,” underscored Zelenskyy. “This is work that is already underway.” The world is “strong enough” to punish Russia for the war. “And we will give the world the courage and the means to carry out the punishment.”

At the conference in Lviv, western Ukraine, it was agreed, among other things, to set up a new international center for the prosecution of war crimes. The center aims to secure evidence for future trials. Ukraine has been trying for months to form an international court of justice along the lines of the Nuremberg tribunal for Nazi war criminals. US Attorney General Merrick Garland also attended the meeting in Lviv.

Mercenary chief Prigozhin complains of a lack of ammunition

The founder of the Russian mercenary “Group Wagner”, Yevgeny Prigozhin, threatens the government in Moscow with a withdrawal from the fiercely contested city of Bakhmut due to a lack of ammunition supplies. “If Wagner withdraws from Bakhmut now, the entire front will collapse,” Prigozhin said in a video published on Telegram. “The situation will not be nice for any military formations protecting Russian interests.” The video was published on an unofficial channel spreading Prigozhin news.

Ukraine |  war |  Video still of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozchin

Yevgeny Prigozhin in battle gear

On Sunday, Prigozhin said on his official Telegram channel that most of the ammunition promised to his troops in February has not yet been delivered. “Right now we’re trying to figure out what’s causing this: is it just ordinary bureaucracy or treason?” The mercenary boss regularly criticizes leading Russian officials responsible for the war.

Finland relies on NATO’s deterrence potential

In view of the Ukraine war, Finland’s army chief Timo Kivinen believes that his previously neutral country should join NATO. “We don’t want to threaten anyone, but with NATO there is more potential for deterrence,” the general told Second German Television (ZDF). “In our history we have had several wars with Russia, the Soviet Union. We all know here: our neighbor is a strong power. And we have to be ready to defend our country,” Kivinen continued. “In the 1990s we also had a discussion about whether we should dismantle our national defenses like most countries in Europe, but we were smart enough not to do that – and it’s paying off now.”

Finland has a border with Russia that is around 1,300 kilometers long. The northern European country – like Sweden – has been trying for months to be admitted to NATO. The final decision on membership is still pending, this is being delayed in particular by Turkey.

Pistorius expected to visit Lithuania

Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is traveling to Lithuania this Monday for a two-day visit to meet Bundeswehr soldiers stationed there. The German forces of a NATO task force with battle tanks and armored personnel carriers are at the base in Rukla. Germany is leading the NATO strike group in the Baltic state to secure the alliance’s eastern flank. Pistorius, who took over from the resigned Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht in mid-January, traveled to Ukraine and Poland in February.

wa/ack (dpa, afp, rtr)

This article will be continuously updated on the day of its publication. Reports from the combat zones cannot be independently verified.

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