Nato, Germany exclude military response to possible Russian attack on Ukraine
Berlin, Jan 18 (EFE).- Nato’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday ruled out a military response to a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“It will mean high political cost for Russia should there be such an intervention and the principal of sovereignty of states and integrity of borders should it be violated,” Scholz said at a presser after a bilateral meeting in Berlin.
The Alliance has warned Russia of political and financial consequences in the case of an invasion, Stoltenberg said, adding that Nato would support Ukraine to exercise its right to self-defense.
“The main task now is to make progress on the political way forward,” he said, adding that invitations have been sent to representatives of Russia and Allies to hold meetings.
“But when tensions are high, dialogue is even more important. And Nato Allies will make every effort to find a political way forward,” he added.
Scholz declined to confirm whether a potential attack on Ukraine would spell the end of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline deal with Russian giant Gazprom, which is pending approval.
Asked about Germany’s refusal to supply weapons to Ukraine, Scholz stressed that the change of government does not change Germany’s policy of not exporting lethal weapons.
The essential thing, however, is to talk “at the European level” about to “end the escalation” and be sure that there is no risk to the Ukrainian territorial integrity, he added.EFE
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