Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has affirmed that joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will ensure his country’s security, noting that Kyiv is still pursuing this goal. In a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Kyiv on Monday, the Ukrainian president pointed out that Russia is using the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as a geopolitical weapon. He also highlighted the differing views with Germany regarding the Russian gas pipeline, while emphasizing the continuation of consultations with Germany.
On his part, the German Chancellor stated that his country is prepared to impose severe sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine, while also urging Russia to de-escalate tensions and engage in dialogue. He emphasized that Ukraine's sovereignty is extremely important to Germany, reaffirming the commitment to providing more financial support to Kyiv and standing by its side. The German Chancellor had arrived in Kyiv today to discuss the threat of a Russian invasion.
It is worth noting that Germany issued a serious warning on Sunday, considering that the drums of war are beating in Europe amid military buildups on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
German Deputy Chancellor and Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck believed that Europe is on the brink of war. He mentioned in an interview with RTL/NTV that large armies and military troop concentrations are facing each other, warning that the situation is very dangerous. A senior government source had previously announced that Berlin does not expect results from discussions between the Chancellor and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while clarifying that it is still important to have dialogue between the two parties to better understand Moscow's concerns.
The German Chancellor is expected to visit Moscow on Tuesday following his visit to Kyiv, where he will hold talks focused on resolving the Ukrainian crisis and de-escalating tensions. He will warn Putin in their Tuesday meeting that his country will face "severe consequences" if it attacks Ukraine. He added that "the current situation is itself destabilizing and could spiral out of control."
It is noted that for months, Washington has accused Moscow of amassing more than 100,000 troops at the border, which raises fears of an imminent invasion of Ukrainian territory. Meanwhile, the Russians deny these accusations, while simultaneously calling for security guarantees to ease their concerns, the most crucial of which is the rejection of Ukraine’s NATO membership and the cessation of the alliance’s eastward expansion, which NATO refuses.
