Numerous SPD leaders meet in Norderney, including Olaf Scholz. He speaks on site about peace negotiations in the Ukraine conflict.
Norderney - From Thursday (April 18) to Friday, the North Sea island of Norderney, popular with holidaymakers, was transformed into a political hotspot for two days, secured by hundreds of police and security authorities. Almost 70 SPD representatives from Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia were on site. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz also arrived, who initially commented on a possible peace process in Ukraine - in addition to various domestic political issues.
Olaf Scholz |
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|---|---|
Born: |
June 14, 1958 in Osnabrück |
Political office: |
Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany since 2021 |
Political party: |
SPD (since 1975) |
Peace summit in Switzerland should bring movement to Ukraine negotiations
A few days after his trip to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Scholz emphasized on Friday morning that the dialogue that took place in Beijing could definitely be seen as a success. With a view to the war in Ukraine, it was “a very important boost” that the prospect of peace talks could be discussed in China.
Apparently Scholz is increasingly promoting diplomatic efforts to counter the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. At the SPD conference in Norderney, the Chancellor emphasized, according to the
dpa
, that he agreed with the Chinese leadership on the need for peace conferences in Switzerland: “This is something that is indispensable in this arduous process, and I am grateful “That Germany and I were also able to make a contribution to this.”
Chancellor promotes diplomatic efforts in the Ukraine conflict
Switzerland, which strives for political neutrality, is planning a peace summit for June 15th and 16th to which around 100 countries, including Ukraine, will be invited. In all likelihood, Russia will not be at the table, but countries that are friendly to Vladimir Putin's regime, such as China, Brazil and South Africa, will.
Scholz now emphasized the value of diplomatic efforts on the East Frisian island. These are “still a plant that needs a lot of watering. But it is something that exists and that we maintain.”
Putin and Lavrov are critical of peace negotiations
In Moscow, diplomatic efforts and especially the Swiss peace conference are viewed critically. Putin complained to the
Interfax
news agency that his country would not receive an invitation, but at the same time nothing could be decided without Russia: “And because we are not going there, they are now saying that we are refusing to negotiate. This is a real panopticon.” However, about a week ago the Russian embassy in Bern declared that Russia would not take part in the conference even if invited.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also responded to the request for peace negotiations in an interview with Russian radio stations in Moscow on April 19. He not only emphasized his country's claim to rule over Ukraine, but also spoke of the conditions for diplomatic exchange. There would be no ceasefire during possible negotiations, he emphasized, and talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be pointless.
(chnnn/dpa)