German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expects to reach an agreement with US President-elect Donald Trump regarding the future approach towards Ukraine.
Scholz has had extensive phone conversations with Trump and had been in direct contact with his security policy officials, the German chancellor told theĀ Funke Mediengruppe newspapers in an interview published on Saturday.
He expressed confidence in developing a joint strategy for Ukraine with Trump, who is set to re-enter the White House on January 20 after beating Kamala Harris in the presidential elections in November.
When asked if Ukraine would need to cede territories for peace, Scholz said nothing should be decided over the heads of the Ukrainians.
Scholz further asserted that Germany was by far the strongest supporter of Ukraine in Europe and would remain so. He emphasized the importance of ending the killing and ensuring the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine.
Scholz visited Kiev earlier this month for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It was Scholz’s second visit to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Trump intends to meet with France’s President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Saturday on the sidelines of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
According to the ĆlysĆ©e Palace, Trump and Macron will meet for bilateral talks in the afternoon. Macron is also set to meet Zelensky afterwards.
During the USĀ election campaign, Trump stated he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, but there has been no recent mention of this.