Ukraine talks in Berlin: Scholz meets Macron and Duda

In order to solve the Ukraine conflict, all possible conversation formats are used. A special meeting will take place in Berlin on Tuesday evening.

• On Tuesday evening, Chancellor Olaf Scholz* will meet French President Emmanuel Macron* and Poland’s head of state Andrzej Duda in Berlin (see first report).
• Before leaving, Duda welcomed the meeting with Scholz and Macron on the Ukraine conflict* (see update from February 8, 5:35 p.m.).
• This news ticker is continuously updated.

Update from February 8, 8:20 p.m.: Now French President Macron speaks. France, Germany and Poland had already agreed last week. He promises that these agreements will continue in the coming weeks. Macron also emphasizes avoiding war as the main goal. Peace and stability of the European continent are “the greatest treasure”. According to Macron, everything must be done to preserve it. In addition, one must “always defend the unity of the Europeans and their allies”. In addition, European principles developed over the past 30 years, such as the sovereignty of all states and territorial integrity, must be defended. It is necessary to find “middle ways” for dialogue with Russia.

Update from February 8, 8:10 p.m.: According to Duda, there is currently an “unprecedented deployment of Russian troops” both on the Ukrainian border and in Belarus. Now one wonders what the result of these troop movements will be. After all, the world has not seen such a movement of troops since the Second World War, claims Poland’s head of state. In addition, international law and territorial integrity must also be guaranteed for non-EU or non-NATO countries such as Ukraine, emphasizes Duda. “We have to find a solution so that we can avoid war,” Duda says. In addition to unity, one must also show that one will not take a step back and speak with one voice.

Update from February 8, 8:05 p.m.: After Scholz, Polish President Andrzej Duda now takes the floor. He thanks Chancellor Scholz for the “historic meeting” of the Weimar Triangle. It is important that we look for a solution to this “very difficult situation” together, he says, referring to Russian aggression. As before his departure for Berlin, Duda emphasized again that the current situation is the most difficult for Europe since 1989.

Update from February 8, 20:00: With Poland’s head of state Duda and French President Macron, they want to work towards de-escalation. “We need negotiations and a solution,” says Scholz. In the last few days, all three have had intensive talks, the Chancellor notes. This will also continue in the coming days, he signals. “Our exchange at this point in time will therefore be particularly profitable, because we all have one goal in common: to preserve peace in Europe,” said Scholz. This is to be brought about through “diplomacy and clear messages”.

Update from February 8, 7:55 p.m.: Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks first. The common goal of the Weimar Triangle is “to prevent a war in Europe”. The Russian troop deployment on the Ukrainian border is “very worrying”. Scholz emphasizes that “another violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is unacceptable”. The Chancellor warns that this would have “far-reaching consequences” for Moscow politically, economically and geostrategically.

Update from February 8, 7:52 p.m.: The joint press conference by Scholz, Macron and Duda in Berlin begins.

Update from February 8, 7:25 p.m.: The joint press conference by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Poland’s Head of State Andrzej Duda will begin shortly in Berlin.

Update from February 8, 5:35 p.m.: Before leaving for Berlin, Polish head of state Andrzej Duda welcomed Chancellor Scholz’s invitation to hold talks in the Weimar Triangle. “I am glad that after many years we will finally have a meeting with French President Macron and the new German Chancellor,” Duda told reporters at the airport. The talks will deal with the situation in Ukraine, Belarus and the situation on the external borders of NATO and the EU.

For the international community, the current situation is “possibly the most difficult situation since 1989”. Due to a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russian maneuvers, it is necessary to come together and show joint actions and international solidarity, stressed Duda.

Ukraine crisis: Meeting in the Weimar Triangle – Scholz invites Macron and Duda to Berlin

First report from February 8th: Berlin – Chancellor Olaf Scholz * (SPD) has now completed his inaugural visit to the USA – but the efforts to find a diplomatic solution in the Ukraine conflict * continue directly. On Tuesday (February 8), Scholz will meet French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Head of State Andrzej Duda in Berlin for consultations. It is a meeting of the so-called Weimar Triangle – this format has been maintained for 30 years.

The meeting in the evening is preceded by a long period of consultation: Macron had previously held mediation talks in Moscow. He will also make another stop in Kiev on Tuesday. Scholz, in turn, has just returned from the USA. During Scholz’s visit to the White House, US President Joe Biden praised Germany as a reliable partner in the Ukraine crisis. The US President countered doubts about NATO partner Germany’s loyalty to the alliance.

Weimar Triangle on the Ukraine conflict: Scholz, Macron and Duda meet in Berlin

After consultations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Macron was convinced that a diplomatic solution to the current tensions in Europe was possible. Putin accused the West of using tensions in Ukraine for anti-Russian policies. And the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) is also currently on the road: She is also in Ukraine and wants to find out more about the situation in the conflict area Donbass on Tuesday on the front line between Ukrainian government troops and the separatists supported by Russia.

In view of the deployment of tens of thousands of Russian soldiers near the border with Ukraine, there are fears that the Kremlin is planning an invasion of the neighboring country. Moscow denies that. It is also considered possible that the Russian side wants to stir up fears in order to persuade NATO to make concessions on demands for new security guarantees.

Ukraine conflict: press appointment planned with Chancellor Scholz

Before their conversation in the Chancellery, Scholz, Macron and Duda want to appear together in front of the press – this appointment is scheduled for 7 p.m. Germany and France are also trying to defuse the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in the so-called Normandy format*. Within the framework of NATO and the European Union, Warsaw advocates a clear deterrent against Russia. (dpa/cibo/AFP) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.