The sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine will not be lifted until Moscow reaches a peace agreement with Ukraine, the German chancellor said, Olaf Scholzwho added that it is up to Ukraine to determine the terms of peace.
Scholz, in an interview broadcast Monday by the ZDF public television channel, claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin miscalculated whether he had anticipated that he might win territory from Ukraine, declare an end to hostilities and see Western countries withdraw the sanctions.
“He didn’t think about his whole operation in Ukraine,” Scholz said. “He did not think that Ukraine would resist like this. He did not think that we would support them to resist so long… We will not withdraw the sanctions, unless he reaches an agreement with Ukraine and he will not achieve it with a dictated peace.”
He also assured that Germany would not accept Russia’s annexation of Crimea. “That was a violation of international law … that remains true,” she said.
Scholz added that he had no plans to visit kyiv after a planned trip by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was canceled due to Ukraine’s objections.
Scholz rejected criticism that he was initially too hesitant to send heavy weapons to Ukraine, followed by criticism from peace activists after Germany last week announced delivery of “Gepard” anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine.
“There is no point in doing something just because someone is yelling or not doing something because someone is yelling,” Scholz said, adding that protecting the country and keeping the peace was his duty as chancellor.
Scholz is under pressure from home and abroad to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons, such as tanks and howitzers, and to support an immediate EU embargo on Russian energy imports to strip Putin of hard currency to help him finance war.