Alwaght- The countries that provide Ukraine with funding and weapons against Russia are not at war with Moscow, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told French President, according to RT.
The statement came as the leaders of Germany, France and Poland met in Berlin on Friday to show solidarity after their recent disagreement over military support for Kiev.
During a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the chancellor stated that the countries stand firmly behind Ukraine and that allied help would continue for “as long as it takes.”
“It is also clear that we are not at war with Russia,” Scholz added.
The German leader has been under pressure to deliver Tarus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, but he has so far refused mainly to avoid an escalation with Russia.
France, on the other hand, has been delivering SCALP-EG cruise missiles, which are already being used by Ukraine and are roughly equivalent to the Taurus.
Macron’s recent suggestion that the West “cannot exclude” the possibility of sending soldiers to aid Ukraine in its conflict with Russia has also drawn criticism from Germany and other NATO states.
Chancellor Scholz defended his refusal to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, telling German lawmakers Wednesday that prudence is not a weakness while insisting that he trusts Kiev.
Germany has become the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States, but Scholz has stalled for months on Ukraine’s desire for Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) and could in theory be used against targets far into Russian territory.
The main reason behind denying the missiles to Ukraine is a fear of escalation with Russia that can spiral into a full-scale confrontation with Moscow.
According to Politico, Scholz refusal is driven by a deep-seated fear of Russia.
"The chancellor is not alone in Germany’s panic room," said Politico, "nearly 60 percent of Germans oppose supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles, according to a poll conducted earlier in March."
In addition to recalling the dark memories of war with the powerful Soviet Red army, Berlin's refusal is driven also by a hope for mended economic and energy ties with Russia after Ukraine war. After all Russia was, before war, the main supplier of cheap gas to Germany, way cheaper than that coming from the US. Germany cannot forever forget Nord Stream pipeline and believes good data will come with Russia and it cannot burn its bridges for Ukraine and the US.
