Scholz visits "friends" in Scandinavia: Ironically, when it comes to a question about Russia, there is a crunch

Created: 08/16/2022 05:21

By: Florian Naumann, Bedrettin Bölükbasi

Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomes Mette Fredriksen (right) and Magdalena Andersson in Oslo.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is traveling to Norway and Sweden for talks on the Ukraine war and energy issues.

Update from August 15, 8:10 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) attended a Scandinavian summit in Oslo on Monday – despite all the friendly ties, there was apparently also conflict.

A controversial point: A recently discussed visa ban for Russian citizens in the EU.

The heads of government of Finland and Denmark, Sanna Marin and Mette Fredriksen, spoke out in favor of the step at the meeting.

Scholz disagreed.

"Russian citizens did not start the war, but at the same time we have to realize that they support the war," Marin said.

"I don't think it's right that Russian citizens can enter the EU, the Schengen area and go sightseeing as tourists while Russia is killing people in Ukraine." Fredriksen called for a discussion on the issue.

Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson - a good friend of Scholz' - and Norway's counterpart, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, did not position themselves clearly.

Scholz, on the other hand, stuck to his rejection of a general entry ban and referred, among other things, to Russian citizens who are fleeing Putin's regime.

"All the decisions we make should not make it more complicated for them to seek freedom and leave the country to escape the dictatorship in Russia," he said.

"It's not the war of the Russian people, it's Putin's war." Scholz spoke out in favor of significantly strengthening cooperation in the energy sector.

"We all face the same challenges," he said.

Therefore, the forces must also be bundled.

Gahr Støre emphasized that Norway supports Germany's "great and important work" to become independent of Russia's gas.

Scholz is "with friends," he said.

In the evening, the Chancellor wanted to travel on to Sweden, where he will meet Andersson for a private meeting on Tuesday morning.

A visit to the truck manufacturer Scania is then planned, which is working together with Volkswagen on concepts for the electrification of truck traffic.

The visit to Stockholm will also deal with the expansion of NATO.

Finland and Sweden want to join the western defense alliance.

23 out of 30 member states have already agreed, including Germany.

Among others, however, Turkey is still missing, which had blocked the admission process for a long time and tied its approval to conditions.

Scholz travels to Norway and Sweden - it's about the Ukraine war and energy

Olaf Scholz boards a Luftwaffe Airbus A340 at BER.

(Archive image) © Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Preliminary report:

Munich - The troops of Russian ruler Vladimir Putin are continuing their attacks on Ukraine.

The Ukraine war has far-reaching political and economic consequences for Europe.

Therefore, the implications of the Russian war of aggression are consistently high on the agenda at meetings between European countries.

This was also the case when Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) visited Scandinavia.

Scholz embarks on a two-day trip to Norway and Sweden on Monday (August 15).

Topics will include the security of Northern Europe after the Russian attack on Ukraine and energy issues.

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In Norway's capital Oslo, the Chancellor wants to take part in the meeting of the Nordic Prime Ministers on Monday and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Störe.

The Nordic countries include Norway and Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland.

There will be press conferences at 5:15 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Scholz trip to Norway and Sweden: NATO accession probably also an issue

Norway is one of the most important natural gas suppliers for Germany.

The federal government wants to expand the energy business in order to become independent of Russian gas more quickly.

After his visit to Oslo, Scholz will travel to Sweden's capital Stockholm, where he will meet Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on Tuesday.

Among other things, Sweden's desire to join NATO should be discussed here.

Finland also wants to join NATO.

Opposition to the two countries joining NATO came from Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ankara has formally given up resistance, but continues to threaten to block the accession process.