DW interview with German chancellor Friedrich Merz | DW News

Key Concepts

• Trump's 28-Point Plan for Ukraine: A proposed plan by former US President Trump aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
• European Security Architecture: The framework of security arrangements and agreements within Europe.
• Sovereignty of Ukraine: The principle that Ukraine has the right to govern itself without external interference.
• Ceasefire: A temporary suspension of fighting.
• International Law and Rules-Based International Order: Principles and norms governing relations between states, emphasizing cooperation and adherence to established rules.
• G20 Summit: A forum for the world's largest economies to discuss global economic issues.
• Africa's Role in Global Order: Recognition of Africa's growing importance in international affairs.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Position on the Ukraine War and Trump's Plan

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in an interview following the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, discussed the significant impact of the war in Ukraine and former US President Donald Trump's proposed 28-point plan on the summit and Europe's security.

Trump's 28-Point Plan and European Concerns

• Awareness and Initial Reaction: Chancellor Scholz stated that he was aware of Trump's 28-point plan since the preceding Friday and had spoken with President Trump before departing for South Africa. He indicated that while some points of the plan were agreeable, others were not.
• Alignment with Ukraine: Scholz emphasized that Germany is "fully in line with Ukraine," asserting that the country's sovereignty "must not be jeopardized."
• Ongoing Negotiations: He revealed that "very severe negotiations" were taking place in Geneva between National Security Advisors (NSAs) from the US, Ukraine, and potentially other parties. The outcome of these talks remained uncertain, but the core principle of not questioning Ukraine's sovereignty was paramount.
• Unrealistic Deadline: Scholz expressed skepticism about achieving agreement on all 28 points by Trump's proposed deadline of Thursday (Thanksgiving in the US), stating, "I think that it's not achievable to have all the 28 points agreed until Thursday."
• Proposal for an Intermediate Step: To address the urgency, Germany was exploring an "intermediate step" that could be agreed upon unanimously by Europeans, Americans, and Ukraine, and potentially Russia. This approach aimed to achieve at least an initial result by the Thursday deadline, which President Trump was reportedly keen on.
• European Agreement is Crucial: Scholz stressed that any resolution could not be made "above the heads of the Europeans without agreement of the Europeans." He highlighted that many elements of Trump's plan would require European consent.
• Example of European Leverage: As a specific example of European leverage, Scholz mentioned that "Russian assets which are based in Brussels cannot be paid out to the Americans. That is unthinkable." This illustrated that European support was essential for the plan's implementation.

Magnitude of the Threat to Europe's Security Architecture

• Long-Term Impact of the War: Scholz described the war in Ukraine as a "terrible war" that Europe had been suffering from for "almost four years."
• Threat to Security Architecture: He characterized the conflict as a "deep threat for the entire political order of the European continent."
• Specific Attacks: The war has led to "severe attacks on our infrastructure" and "severe attacks on our cyber security."
• European Engagement: This profound threat is the reason for Europe's strong engagement and efforts to "bring this terrible war to an end."

G20 Summit and Africa's Role

• Unusual Emphasis on International Law: The G20 presidency in Johannesburg made an "unusual" point of stressing "international law, humanitarian law, the rules-based international order" in its final statement, deviating from the typical business-focused nature of the G20.
• South Africa's Stance: The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, reportedly "stood up to the United States over having a statement."
• Africa's Growing Importance: Scholz conveyed a strong conviction that "Africa has to play a much bigger role in the future." He highlighted Africa as the "fastest growing continent in the world with a young population, very interesting for business." The summit demonstrated that "Africa is on the table" and would play a more significant role than in the past.

Hopes for China's Role in Taming Russia

• Meeting with Chinese Prime Minister: Scholz had a "very long meeting" with the Chinese Prime Minister, Li Qiang, in preparation for his planned visit to China the following year.
• China's Potential Influence: He believes "China could play a role" and "put some more pressure on Russia to end this war." This was a subject of discussion with the Chinese government and would likely be part of his future talks with the Chinese President.
• Hope for a Ceasefire Before Next Year: Scholz expressed a strong hope that "we will come at least to a ceasefire in this war before" his visit to China next year, so that the conflict would not "overshadow our meeting."

Conclusion

Chancellor Scholz's remarks underscore the gravity of the war in Ukraine and its far-reaching implications for European security. He advocates for a pragmatic approach to resolving the conflict, emphasizing the need for European consensus and the protection of Ukraine's sovereignty. The G20 summit in South Africa also marked a significant moment for Africa's increasing prominence on the global stage, and Scholz expressed optimism about China's potential to influence Russia towards peace.