Europe must continue to consistently support Ukrainethe chancellor said Olaf Solz and spoke of “weaknesses”, which are becoming apparent on the Russian side. Referring to the situation in the Middle East, he repeated the call for a ceasefire in Gaza, in order to free the hostages and allow humanitarian aid to reach the region.

“Russia is not as powerful as some people think. If the Russian president thinks that all he has to do is “suspend” this war and our support wanes, then he has miscalculated.” emphasized Mr. Scholz from the floor of the Bundestag, in his customary speech before tomorrow’s European Council.

The chancellor further stated that during the summit he would like to ensure that profits from frozen Russian assets in Europe are invested in the purchase of arms for Ukraine, specifying that for 2024 these are estimated at 5 billion euros. In addition, he advocated closer cooperation in the EU in order to address shortfalls in military supplies.

Referring to the recent elections in RussiaOlaf Solz stated that manipulating them is a sign of weakness on the Russian side and expressed his admiration for the opposition in the country. “It is really difficult to insist on freedom in such an environment. We must not give up supporting these people,” he said. In the policy for Ukraine, the chancellor outlined three guidelines, supporting the country “as long as necessary”, rejecting the idea of ​​a “dictated peace” and ruling out any possible NATO involvement in the conflict. He also stressed that Berlin and Paris remain in close cooperation.

The chancellor also referred to crisis in Middle Eastemphasizing that the attack of Hamas against Israel “can’t be forgotten, she was terrible”. “Israel has every right to defend itself” and Germany, he added, “is clearly a friend of Israel, like maybe only the USA”, but “we also have to say the necessary things”. “There must be a ceasefire in order to, among other things, release the hostages and for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip. Mr Solz said he was “cautiously optimistic” and expressed the belief that achieving a ceasefire “is a bit more realistic” now. Humanitarian aid from the air cannot be comprehensive, he clarified and expressed the hope that the EU will succeed in reaching a common position on the Middle East this time, while he reiterated the firm German position in favor of a two-state solution for the region. “It must be made clear that there can be a future for a peaceful coexistence between Israel and a separate Palestinian state, without its own army, but able to manage its own affairs.”continued Olaf Solz.

On the opposition side, the leader of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) Friedrich Mertz criticized the head of the parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Rolf Muchenich, who called for consideration of the possibility of “freezing” the war in Ukraine. “You cannot deal with a war criminal like Putin with cowardice. Discussing this issue is dangerous,” he said European NATO states stressed the need “not only to improve their cooperation but also to contribute more financially”. On the Middle East, Mr. Merz said that Germany should stand by Israel, who, however, said, “it also bears responsibility for the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”