German chancellor cautions against 'dictated peace' in Ukraine conflict

By Timo Kirez

GENEVA (AA) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday spoke out against a "dictated peace" in the Ukraine conflict.

Speaking on the Berlin Playbook Podcast on news portal Politico, Scholz said: "The next task is to ensure that there is no dictated peace here."

Scholz was referring to the phone call between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

After the call, Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social: "We have agreed to work very closely together, including visits to each other's countries. We have also agreed that our respective teams will begin negotiations immediately."

Scholz emphasized in the podcast: "It is very clear to me that there must be no solution that is not also a solution in which the USA is involved."

The transatlantic alliance must "always be guaranteed," he said.

Scholz believes that a debate about a peacekeeping force in Ukraine with the participation of the German armed forces, or Bundeswehr, is premature.

"Everyone knows that this is not an issue right now," said the federal chancellor.

Scholz also assumes Trump will continue to support Ukraine in the future: "The talks I have had with him and that my advisors have also had with his advisors lead to the conclusion that we can hope and assume that the USA will continue to support Ukraine."

He also explained that Ukraine must have the opportunity to develop "even after the peace agreement."

According to Scholz, Ukraine must have "a strong army that will be larger than before the war, equipped with Western weapons."