International Diplomatic Efforts Underway to End Russian Invasion of Ukraine: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Speaks Out

Diplomatic efforts are underway to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in an interview with the newspaper Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung. While Scholz did not specify which governments are involved in the negotiations, he mentioned that discussions on this topic would be conducted discreetly. He noted that “There are a series of countries, including Ukraine, who are discussing, at the level of defense advisors, how a peace process could be carried out.”

The Ukrainian press reacted strongly to Scholz’s comments, particularly following his previous statements in February revealing the presence of British and French soldiers operating long-range missiles in Ukraine. The official stance of the Ukrainian Presidency is that there is no direct contact with Russia, and the only viable path to peace is through President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 10-point peace proposal, which includes the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territory within Ukraine.

The United States and European powers have been working to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine. Germany and France have been leading these efforts, maintaining that Ukraine should determine the terms and conditions for negotiations to end the conflict. However, Scholz emphasized that negotiations have taken place between Ukraine and Russia with the assistance of international mediators, leading to agreements on issues like prisoner exchanges and security measures.

Germany has been working to counter French militaristic tendencies towards Russia. The German Social Democrats have rejected proposals to send troops to Ukraine or supply long-range missiles. Despite this, Germany remains a key military ally to Ukraine, second only to the United States in terms of support. Scholz and other German officials have made efforts to prevent further escalation of the conflict and emphasize the importance of finding a path to end the war peacefully.

Recently, reports emerged that Germany had engaged in mediation efforts with China’s Xi Jinping aimed at preventing a Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine in late 2022. These developments underscored