Scholz starts his most difficult journey - employees share concerns in advance: "Very dangerous situation"

Created: 2022-02-13Updated: 2022-02-13, 8:04 p.m

By: Florian Naumann

Chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to Moscow and Kiev next week.

© Britta Pedersen/ Imago

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia remains tense.

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz travels to the inaugural visit as a peace mediator.

The news ticker.

• Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD)* travels to Kiev and Moscow on Monday and Tuesday (February 14/15) - it's about the Ukraine conflict.

• First on Monday afternoon is a meeting with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

• Berlin government circles made it clear in advance: It is a “very critical, a very dangerous situation” (

  update from February 13, 7:55 p.m.

  ).

Update from February 13, 7:55 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz travels to Ukraine and Russia – the federal government fears in advance that the situation in the Ukraine conflict will worsen significantly.

"We consider it a very critical, a very dangerous situation," said government circles in Berlin on Sunday.

Assessments by US intelligence services that a Russian attack could be imminent in the coming days have also increased fears of a military escalation in Berlin.

A government representative in Berlin emphasized that US intelligence sources are not 100% certain that an attack by Russia will actually take place in the coming days.

All they said was that there was "a very worrying indication that this might be the case".

In any case, it is important that there is de-escalation.

"So many highly armed soldiers on a state border combined with extensive flight and maneuvering activities - that is in itself a destabilizing situation that can get out of control."

Scholz will therefore make it clear to Putin again that an attack on Ukraine "will have serious consequences, will result in serious sanctions," it said.

At the same time, the chancellor not only wanted to declare his willingness to engage in dialogue, but also to make it clear "that we are pushing for it" in order to defuse the situation through talks.

Scholz in Ukraine and Russia: Chancellor assures Kiev support

Preliminary report:

Kiev/Moscow – The situation in the Ukraine conflict* is heading for a climax: the United States fears that Russian troops could invade in the coming days.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is to mediate again and is therefore traveling to Kiev and Moscow.

In purely formal terms, there will be two more inaugural visits during which the new Federal Chancellor will introduce himself to the two capitals.

But the content is about peace or war.

"In both cases, it's about exploring how we can secure peace in Europe," said Scholz on Sunday.

On Monday (February 14), Olaf Scholz will be received by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev.

In addition to the symbolic sign of support, the visit should also be about further aid measures from Germany.

Already on Sunday, the federal government pledged to support Ukraine with further armaments and economic aid.

"Ukraine can be sure that we will show the necessary solidarity, as we have in the past." Of all the countries, Germany has supported Ukraine the most with economic aid.

"And we will keep it that way," promised Scholz.

Ukraine crisis: Scholz should prevent Putin from invading

On Tuesday, the chancellor travels to Moscow - for what is probably the most delicate discussion of his term in office.

Before that, however, Scholz will put in an interim meeting in Berlin: probably so that it doesn't look like he's coming to Moscow as an envoy from Kiev.

For the conversation, Scholz is said to have even got advice from his predecessor Merkel*.

The extent to which the chancellor can threaten the Russian president with sanctions is questionable, however: he would need the support of the EU for this.

For the day after the talks between Scholz and Putin, the US government predicted a possible attack by Russia *.

Scholz could thus be the last Western representative who could stop Putin from invading.

Out of concern for a war, numerous states have already asked their citizens to leave Ukraine - including Germany.

While Russia is holding major military maneuvers in Belarus, the US has added 3,000 more troops to Poland.

So far, however, diplomatic negotiations with Russia have not been able to achieve any major breakthroughs: Nine-hour negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Berlin mediated by Germany and France on Thursday (February 10) did not bring any tangible results.