Putin must understand fallacy of betting on prolonging war, support for Ukraine to remain – Scholz

MUNICH. Feb 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz admits that Russia’s war in Ukraine could be protracted and stresses the need to send a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Germany and other partners are ready to stand with Ukraine for as long as necessary.

“Putin must understand that he miscalculated [in the assumption], that if he delays as far as possible, then we will stop supporting – this will not happen,” Scholz said at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

He said Putin did not expect such unity from Europe and the world in mobilizing assistance to Ukraine and resisting this imperialist aggression, which was confirmed by the votes of the UN General Assembly and the statements of the G20 on the inadmissibility of using nuclear weapons in war.

Answering a question about the readiness of the population of Germany and partner countries to maintain a high level of support for Ukraine, the chancellor expressed broad support for the government’s actions.

“We are a democratic country, the population trusts our measures. The main thing is to stand in solidarity with partners, and especially with the United States. I am sure that the population will continue to support… We take on the responsibility that a country of such size and economic power as Germany should bear,” Scholz said.

He evaded a direct answer to the question of the possibility of supplying aircraft to Ukraine, but suggested that, in addition to tanks, “much more will have to be done to provide weapons on the battlefield.”

According to him, the German Ministry of Defense is currently doing everything to ensure that the first tanks reach Ukraine in the near future, and Ukrainian crews are already being trained. The chancellor added that Germany would also be ready to supply tanks from old stocks against the background of the fact that not all countries are ready to supply Kyiv with the latest models of tanks, but will try with partners so that everyone fulfils their promises.

“It is not arms deliveries that prolong the war. The sooner Putin realizes that he will not achieve his imperialist goals, the greater the chances for an early end to the war and the withdrawal of Russian troops,” Scholz said.

He said Germany reaffirms its responsibility for the security of Europe and NATO countries without any reservations and will increase the potential of the Bundeswehr, for which a special fund of EUR 100 billion has been created and annual defense spending will be increased to 2% of GDP.

The German Chancellor also spoke about the need for more stable political and economic relations in the world and the desire to build new mutually beneficial relations with the countries of Africa, Latin and South America, and Asia.

“It is necessary to demand these regions to give more voting rights. It is in their interests that the principles underlying the UN Charter are not destroyed,” Scholz said.

According to him, in order for Europe to have authority in the world, it is necessary to deal with the problems of countries in these regions and make appropriate efforts.

“In order to ensure order in the international system, new forms of international solidarity are needed… We are on the threshold of a multipolar world and we must make sure that it does not become a world of war,” the German chancellor said.

Echoing the thesis of the Munich Report on security and the need for rapprochement with the countries of the “Global South,” Scholz pointed to significant changes in the world in recent years, when more and more states are gaining strength, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Senegal, Nigeria, Mexico, and declared Europe’s readiness to build with them an equal and mutually beneficial.