Germany and Other Countries Secretly Discuss Peace Negotiations to End Russian Invasion in Ukraine: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Comments

The possibility of peace negotiations to end the Russian invasion in Ukraine is being discussed by several countries, including Germany, according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. However, Scholz did not specify which governments are considering this option and noted that discussions on this topic would be conducted discreetly. He stated that there are a series of countries, including Ukraine, who are discussing with 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 maintain that Ukraine should determine the terms and conditions for negotiations to end the conflict. Scholz emphasized that the most straightforward way to end the war would be for Russian President Vladimir Putin to order the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. However, he acknowledged 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, with Scholz rejecting 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, there have been reports of German mediation efforts to prevent a Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine in late 2022. German authorities enlisted Chinese President Xi Jinping