‘Putin will only give up war if he realizes he cannot win’: Scholz
United Nations, Sep 20 (EFE).- Russia’s President Vladimir Putin “will only give up his war … if he realizes he cannot win,” Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, urging support for Ukraine by all means.
“President Putin is waging this war with one single objective: to seize Ukraine. Self-determination and political independence do not count for him. There is only one word for this. This is imperialism, plain and simple,” Scholz said in New York City.
In his first speech before the UNGA, the German leader stressed that “the return of imperialism is not only a disaster for Europe” but also for the entire peaceful global order.
“We must not stand idly by when a major nuclear power, armed to the teeth – a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), no less – seeks to shift borders through the use of violence.”
He insisted that one cannot be indifferent to this war and the way it ends, and stressed that Ukraine must be able to defend itself.
“Putin will only give up his war and his imperialist ambitions if he realizes he cannot win… He isn’t just destroying Ukraine, but he’s also ruining his own country. This is why we will not accept a peace dictated by Russia. This is why we will not accept any pretentious referendum and this is why Ukraine must be able to defend itself against Russia’s invasion,” he said.
Scholz added his message was clear: “We stand firmly at the side of those under attack. For the protection of the lives and the freedom of Ukrainians and for the protection of our international order.”
Germany’s chancellor also said that his country is preparing to support the reconstruction of Ukraine after the conflict and said that in October he will host a conference of experts in Berlin to begin discussing this task.
Scholz also addressed other issues such as the climate crisis and the reform of the UNSC, where he said that Germany is willing to assume more responsibility as a permanent member if this change is agreed upon. EFE
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