German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that a number of countries, including Ukraine, are currently discussing a possible peace agreement with Russia. This is reported by the Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung, according to Komersant ukrainskyi
Scholz noted that there have always been mediation initiatives to end the war in Ukraine.
“For example, immediately after the outbreak of the war, Russia and Ukraine held direct talks with each other. Then the talks failed because Russia used them only as an excuse to simultaneously move its troops to the east for a major offensive. Then we learned about the massacres in Bucha and Irpin – incredible human rights crimes by the Russian armed forces against civilians,”
– scholz said.
He emphasised that the massacres of Ukrainians in the Kyiv region have deprived the negotiations with Russia of any basis.
“Currently, a number of countries, including Ukraine, are discussing at the level of security advisers what form a peace agreement could take. But let me make one thing clear: peace is possible at any time. Putin simply has to stop his barbaric campaign and withdraw his troops,”
– the Chancellor added.
It should be noted that Ukraine is constantly trying to push Russia into peace talks, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected these proposals, saying that dialogue is possible only after the aggression stops and the occupied Ukrainian territories are liberated.
Earlier, in an interview with the Swiss broadcaster RSI, the Pope called for negotiations in Russia’s war against Ukraine, noting that “the one who has the courage to raise the white flag will be stronger.”
The Vatican said that Pope Francis called for a ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations, not the surrender of Ukraine.