Ukraine: Scholz relies on China, the Kremlin on an old agreement
Published: Friday, Apr 12th 2024, 18:00
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While the war in Ukraine has become a bloody daily routine, international efforts to achieve peace are increasing. Chancellor Scholz wants to get China on board, Moscow is relying on old solutions.
The German government wants to enhance the Ukraine peace summit planned for mid-June in Switzerland by ensuring that as many countries as possible, including Russia-friendly states, are represented.
The aim is to organize this summit in such a way that "a large participation" from all over the world - for example from Arab countries, China, South Africa or Brazil - is possible, said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday after a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Berlin. He pointed out that China had taken part in one of the preparatory meetings at advisor level. Germany has always supported the process that led to this conference, Scholz emphasized
The Chancellor sets off on a three-day visit to China on Saturday and will meet President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. China is considered Russia's most important ally. The leadership in Beijing presented a position paper on the Ukraine conflict last year and most recently sent a special envoy to Europe in March for talks on the issue. Western diplomats assume that the summit's chances of success stand or fall with China's participation.
In addition to China, three other members of the G20 group of leading economic powers also have close ties with Russia: Brazil, South Africa and India. Russia itself will not be invited to the summit, but Ukraine will. It is to take place on June 15 and 16 in neutral Switzerland. Among other things, the so-called peace formula of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky is to be discussed. He is calling for the unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from all occupied territories in Ukraine.
Moscow falls back on Istanbul agreement
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently rejected this on Thursday at a meeting with the ruler of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, one of his closest allies. This was far removed from any reality. Instead, Moscow presented its blueprint for a possible solution a day later: the Istanbul Agreement, which was pre-negotiated between Kiev and Moscow shortly after the start of the war, could be used as a basis, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. At the time, Ukraine had agreed to renounce its NATO membership in return for a peace agreement.
This agreement was never signed, as even then there were disagreements over territorial claims made by Russia. However, these have only intensified in the meantime. While Putin's goal at the start of the war was to "liberate" the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, which were already partially controlled by pro-Russian separatists, Russia has now also annexed the areas of Kherson and Zaporizhia in the south of Ukraine.
Although Moscow only partially occupies the two regions - the regional capitals of the same name are under Kiev's control - the Kremlin is confident of victory: "New territories are now enshrined in our constitution, which was not the case two years ago," said Peskov. Returning the occupied territories is currently out of the question for the Kremlin.
Ukrainians run out of weapons and ammunition
Especially as things look favorable for Russia on the battlefield in view of the lack of Western military aid for Ukraine. Moscow has now ramped up its arms industry. The Ukrainian defenders, on the other hand, are running out of ammunition and weapons, forcing them to retreat in several places.
Russia's superiority is also becoming increasingly clear in the air: every day, Russian missiles, drones and bombs destroy cities and energy facilities in Ukraine and kill civilians. The propagandistic political talk shows on Russian television therefore repeatedly debate the conquest of the cities of Kharkiv and Odessa or even the complete dismemberment of Ukraine.
©Keystone/SDA
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