Germany Moves in Silence to End Ukraine Conflict: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Diplomatic Push and International Support

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, several countries, including Germany, are currently discussing how to initiate peace negotiations to end the conflict. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz mentioned in an interview with the newspaper Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung that discussions on this topic would be conducted discreetly, without revealing which governments are considering negotiating an end to the war.

The Ukrainian press reacted strongly to Scholz’s comments, particularly following his previous statements in February revealing the presence of British and French soldiers operating long-range missiles in Ukraine. The official stance of the Ukrainian Presidency is that there is no direct contact with Russia, and the only viable path to peace is through President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 10-point peace proposal, which includes the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territory within Ukraine.

The United States and European powers have been leading negotiations to end the conflict, with Germany and France playing a key role. Scholz emphasized that the most straightforward way to end the war would be for Russian President Vladimir Putin to order the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. However, he acknowledged that negotiations have taken place between Ukraine and Russia with international mediators’ assistance, leading to agreements on issues like prisoner exchanges and security measures.

The German Social Democrats have been working to counter French militaristic tendencies towards Russia, with Scholz rejecting proposals to send troops or supply long-range missiles. Despite this, Germany remains a key military ally to Ukraine, second only to the United States in terms of support. Scholz has made efforts to prevent further escalation of the conflict by emphasizing finding a peaceful solution through diplomatic means.

Recently reports have emerged about German mediation efforts aimed at preventing a Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine in late 2022. According to these reports German authorities enlisted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s help in persuading Putin against resorting