Western allies held meetings on both sides of the Atlantic to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine as US president Joe Biden hosted German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington while French president Macron met Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Here are the latest developments on the crisis surrounding Ukraine and Russia:
Biden-Scholz Meet, Leaders Say They Share Same Approach
US president Joe Biden hosted German chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday marking the first meeting between both after both were elected as respective heads of state. Scholz, being criticised home and abroad for his lack of leadership amid the crisis, warned Russia that if they invaded Ukraine then they would have to pay a costly price.
While Biden was clear that in case of an attack, the allies would move to shelving the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Scholz did not mention anything about the pipeline throughout his visit. “If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2. We, we will bring an end to it,” Biden was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. “We will be united. We will act together. And we will take all the necessary steps,” Scholz said.
Biden further added that the US trusts Germany and has no doubts regarding Germany’s commitment. Scholz also met with Republican and Democrat lawmakers during his visit. He met with top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. Experts however believe that Germany needs to do more if it wants to show itself as a major player in the world stage.
Scholz will visit Ukraine and Russia next week.
Ahead of Scholz’s visit, Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister visited Kyiv for the second time in three weeks to assure Ukraine of its full support. Ukraine criticised Germany for not providing military support while also not being clear whether it will shelve Nord Stream 2 in case of an invasion. She held a press conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and said that no one can ‘drive a wedge’ between Germany and Ukraine. “We stand with Ukraine. No one will succeed in driving a wedge between us. Dear Dmytro, you know that you can count on Germany,” Baerbock said.
Putin Says Macron’s Ideas Could Pave Way Forward
Russian president Vladimir Putin hosted French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on the same day when Biden hosted Scholz in the White House and said that the French president’s ideas could help form the basis in paving the way forward and taking joint steps.
“A number of his ideas, proposals, which are probably still too early to talk about, I think it is quite possible to make the basis of our further joint steps. We have agreed that after his trip to the Ukrainian capital we will call each other again and exchange views on this matter,” Putin was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
Macron also said that Putin is ready to engage and referred to Putin’s comment where he said that Russia will work to find compromises that suit everyone. “President Putin assured me of his readiness to engage. There is no security for the Europeans if there is no security for Russia,” Macron was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
Putin also said that blaming Russia for the aggression was illogical and clarified that it was not Russia which was moving towards NATO’s borders alluding to the troop deployments in Russia’s neighbourhood.
Macron will head to Ukraine next to meet its president Volodomyr Zelensky. After his visit to Kyiv, he is expected to call the Russian president Vladimir Putin for further discussions.
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