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GERMANY AND UKRAINE

Olaf Scholz pledges no peace talks without Ukrainian agreement

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that Germany and its allies were in talks with Kyiv over future security guarantees in preparation for a sustainable peace for Ukraine.

Olaf Scholz Bundestag March 3, 2023
Olaf Scholz speaks to the German Bundestag on March 3, 2023, just over a year after his promised "sea change" in German foreign policy. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Michael Kappeler

“We are speaking with Kyiv and other partners over future security guarantees for Ukraine,” Scholz said in a speech to the German parliament. “Such security guarantees however come with the presumption that Ukraine
successfully defends itself in this war,” he said, adding that Germany would continue to support Kyiv with weapons supplies.

Scholz’s speech came just over a year after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine, precipitating the chancellor to announce a “Zeitenwende” or “new era” in German defence and foreign policy.

Germany has upped investments in its own military, unwound its economic ties with Russia and broken its taboos over sending weapons into conflict zones.

Scholz renewed calls for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and said President Vladimir Putin was not ready for talks over a “just peace” and an end to the war.

“Nothing suggests” Putin would come to the negotiating table at the moment, Scholz said, reiterating that no talks with Russia would happen over the head of the Ukrainians. “Love of peace does not mean submission to a larger neighbor. If Ukraine stopped defending itself, it would not be peace, but the end of Ukraine.”

Scholz also used the speech to warn China against arming Russia in its war against Ukraine, following US claims Beijing was considering such a move.

“My message to Beijing is clear: use your influence in Moscow to push for the withdrawal of Russian troops,” Scholz said.

“And do not supply weapons to the aggressor Russia,” he added.

READ ALSO: INTERVIEW: Germany must show ‘leadership and vision’ for Ukraine

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POLITICS

Yulia Navalnaya votes at Russian embassy in Berlin

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was queuing to cast her ballot at the Russian embassy in Berlin on Sunday, an AFP journalist witnessed.

Yulia Navalnaya votes at Russian embassy in Berlin

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was queueing to cast her ballot at the Russian embassy in Berlin on Sunday, an AFP journalist witnessed.

Wearing a black jacket, Navalnaya received flowers from supporters and chatted with fellow voters in the long queue outside the embassy in the German capital.

Navalnaya had called on Russians to stage an election day protest against President Vladimir Putin by forming long queues outside voting stations.

‘Among voters who joined the snaking line in Berlin was Maria Katkova, 33, who told AFP that she was there “because I don’t want my vote to be stolen”.

“I want to be together with all these people here and feel like I’m not alone,” said Katkova, who had been in the queue for two hours.

Stanislav Vliasov, 33, a risk manager, said that he had come to vote because “it’s a good possibility to show a picture to all people around the world, to people in Russia… that people are against this situation… against the politics in Russia.

“People know there is a lot to do after today, the world has a lot to do to fight Putin’s regime,” he added.

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