German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin on Tuesday, with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis topping the agenda. The German and French leaders discussed a coordinated response should Russia move forward with an invasion of Ukraine.
What did Scholz and Macron say?
During a joint press conference with Scholz, Macron said the two countries are “united” in the need for de-escalation in Ukraine. “If there is an attack, there will be retaliation and the price (for Russia) will be very high,” Macron said. Scholz also said a Russian threat to Ukraine’s territorial integrity would be bear “serious consequences” for Moscow. In addition, he defended how the German government has handled the crisis. “We have done a great deal to actively support economic development and democratic development in Ukraine,” Scholz said. The French president said he would hold phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, as part of a “demanding dialogue” with Moscow.
Where do Germany, France stand on the Ukraine crisis?
Both Germany and France have expressed concerns about additional sanctions against Russia. Scholz has said European states must consider the cost of sanctions towards Russia, and how that could affect their own economies. Germany, for example, is a major importer of Russian gas. Franco-Russian commercial ties plummeted by about a third soon after the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and amid the EU sanctions imposed in response, but they have been recovering steadily since. Macron has previously said sanctions do little to deter Russia’s actions. France has also called for a European solution to the crisis, instead of relying on the US. Macron has urged the relaunch of 4-way “Normandy format” talks between France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. An aide to Macron said officials from the four countries were expected to meet in Paris on Wednesday in an attempt to de-escalate tensions.
Germany, France divided on weapons exports
An area of disagreement between the two allies revolves around weapons exports. France has expressed a willingness to provide additional arms to Ukraine, while Germany has blocked exports to Kyiv. Ukraine’s foreign minister has criticized Germany’s reluctance to send “defensive” weapons, and said the move is encouraging Russian President Vladimir Putin. Military exports have been a sensitive issue in Germany ever since the Second World War. On principle, the country claims to almost never export weaponry to active conflict zones, although critics allege that these rules are not always kept. Both France and Germany are aligned, however, on providing both diplomatic and financial support for Ukraine. wd/msh (Reuters, dpa)