The designated Secretary General of the FDP, Bijan Djir-Sarai, has asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to send a “clear message” on his trip to Moscow planned for Tuesday. “Germany stands by Ukraine. The principles of international law and the European peace order are non-negotiable,” said Djir-Sarai. “I expect the Chancellor to make it absolutely clear to President (Vladimir) Putin that Russia’s wrong path leads to isolation.”
Scholz also had to name Nord Stream 2 and the possible end of the pipeline if Russia escalated further, Djir-Sarai demanded. “President Putin must understand that should he further aggravate the situation, the price would be enormous. At the same time, it must be made clear that a diplomatic way out of the dangerous situation is possible if Moscow now refrains from further aggression against Ukraine and reduces its troops on the border,” he said.
It is essential that Germany now hold direct talks with Russia at the highest level in view of the worsening situation and not stand on the sidelines, said Djir-Sarai. He welcomed the chancellor’s meeting with Putin in Moscow.