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Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden in the White House
Photo: Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz sees the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as a “serious threat to security in Europe”.
A joint response from the alliance partners - USA, Europe, NATO - is important, Scholz said on Monday after the meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington.
It is clear: "If there is military aggression against Ukraine, then there will be tough, commonly agreed and far-reaching sanctions.
It will have very, very high costs for Russia to take such a step.« In his view, this message had also reached Russia.
They worked intensively together to ensure that sanctions could also be set.
Be prepared to act quickly and together immediately.
At the same time, all diplomatic opportunities should be used.
In response to questions at the subsequent press conference on the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline, US President Joe Biden said that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would mean the end of the controversial natural gas pipeline, which he "promised".
Scholz does not say this so clearly, but emphasized that Germany and the USA would "act completely consensually" in the event of sanctions.
There had been massive criticism in the USA of Nord Stream 2, which is intended to bring gas directly from Russia to Germany while bypassing Ukraine.
At the beginning of the meeting in Washington, US President Joe Biden and Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the unity of both countries.
For Scholz, it was the first meeting with Biden in the White House since he was sworn in as chancellor two months ago.
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