Berlin, Germany – Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the recent incident at the White House. No one wants peace more than the citizens of Ukraine, Scholz said on Friday evening. “That’s why we are seeking a path to a lasting and just peace together. The Ukraine can rely on Germany and on Europe.”
During Zelensky’s visit to the White House, Trump had sharply attacked the Ukrainian president and the meeting between the two was abruptly cut short due to a heated exchange. Trump had threatened to offer no support to Ukraine unless a peace agreement was reached with Russia. US media reported that a pact on rare earths in Ukraine, which was planned for the meeting, was not signed.
According to Carlo Masala, a political scientist at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, the incident at the White House has clearly shown that no one can rely on the US anymore if they do not show submissiveness to Trump. This applies not only to partners and allies, but also to those who want to maintain good relations with the US, he told the Tagesspiegel on Friday.
Masala believes that the US president has “at least left the door a little ajar” by saying that Zelensky could return if he wanted peace. However, by doing so, the US president has also made it clear that the Ukrainian president must meet all the conditions set by the Trump administration, including the cession of territories, renunciation of a NATO membership, security guarantees and the signing of the resource agreement.