German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for renewed efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, stating that both he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have agreed that a new peace conference, which would include Russia, is necessary.
“I believe now is the time to discuss how to achieve peace from this state of war, at a faster pace,” Scholz said in an interview with broadcaster ZDF.
Scholz is under pressure in his own country, as all three parties in the center-left coalition suffered painful losses in regional elections a week ago, while groups aiming for better relations with Moscow gained more votes.
The nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and the new BSW party, which oppose military support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, made record gains in the elections.
Zelensky said in July that he aims to have a plan ready by November, so Kyiv can organize the second international peace summit on Ukraine, adding that representatives from Russia should also participate.
At the first peace summit on Ukraine, held on June 15-16 in Switzerland, senior officials from over 90 countries called for Ukraine’s “territorial integrity” to be the foundation of any peace agreement to end Russia’s war.
Russia was not invited to that summit and dismissed it as a “waste of time.”
The war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine.
The West has responded to Russia by hitting its economy with tough sanctions.
As a result of the war, thousands have died and millions have been displaced from their homes.
Source: Sinjali/REL
