"No diktat can be imposed on Ukraine," said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after meeting with EU leaders and the NATO chief at the Elysee Palace, underlining that Europe must continue its support for Kiev despite the US stance.
"We welcome the fact that there are talks about a peace agreement, but for us it is clear that this cannot be a dictate," he said, pointing to recent moves by Donald Trump in this direction.
Scholz also said that Ukraine should be allowed to defend itself, continue on the path to European Union membership and have its own strong military, emphasizing that these issues are non-negotiable.
But Scholz also stated that there can be no division between Europe and the US on security, as he emphasizes the importance of the NATO alliance.
As for reforming EU fiscal rules to increase defense spending, he suggested that any spending above 2% of GDP on defense should be exempt from existing limits. The German Chancellor says new sources of funding are needed so that further support for Ukraine does not come through cuts to domestic budgets and public service funds.
Scholz was once again asked about the idea of deploying European troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force, and he said such discussions are premature.
"I am irritated by such suggestions as they are speculative and highly inappropriate," Scholz said.
Meanwhile, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a social media post that his country and the Nordic-Baltic region are represented at the meeting by Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, as he insisted that they have a "unanimous and strong position in support of Ukraine."
"There should be no discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine. Support for Ukraine must be increased and accelerated," Kristersson said. (A2 Televizion)
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