Zelensky and Scholz discuss regional security challenges
February 15, 2022, 3:52 am

Zelensky and Scholz discuss regional security challenges

Volodymyr Zelensky and Olaf Scholz/Facebok

The Xinhua reported, the Ukrainian President presidential press service reported, Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday held a meeting with visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss regional security challenges.

After the talks in Kiev, Zelensky told reporters that the two parties talked over the peace process in and around Ukraine and the legal guarantees that would help to protect Ukraine.

In particular, Zelensky said that Ukraine needs energy security guarantees due to the risks associated with the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.

Besides, the parties discussed the steps that have been made within the framework of a peaceful settlement in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, in particular the two rounds of talks in the Normandy format at the level of political advisors.

Zelensky said: "We expect that in the near future we will be able to hold further talks and agree on a summit of the leaders of the Normandy Four."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky/Facebook page

For his part, Scholz said that Germany is trying to find a diplomatic solution to the situation around Ukraine.

Scholz said: "Together with France, we have intensified our efforts in the Normandy format. It's a difficult process, but I'm sure it's worth the effort."

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Zelensky and Scholz also discussed Ukraine's aspirations to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during their talks.

At the press conference after the talks, Scholz said that Ukraine's possible accession to NATO is currently "out of the agenda", Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

Ukraine and Germany are members of the Normandy format that also includes Russia and France.

Scholz arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for a working visit. On Tuesday he will visit Moscow.

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Since November, Kiev and some Western countries have accused Russia of assembling heavy troops near the Ukrainian border with a possible intention of "invasion".

Russia denied the accusation, saying that Russia has the right to mobilize troops within its borders to defend its territory as NATO's activities constitute a threat to Russia's border security.

Source: xinhua

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.