German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview published Friday that Donald Trump would privately take a “more nuanced” stance on Ukraine, days after speaking by phone with the United States president-elect.
Trump’s re-election in last week’s US presidential election has raised concerns that he could withdraw Washington’s crucial support for Ukraine if returned to the White House.
During the campaign, the Republican claimed he could end the fight within hours and that he would speak directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Scholz, who spoke by phone with Trump on Sunday, told the German Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily that his call with the president-elect was “perhaps surprisingly, a very detailed and good conversation.”
According to Scholz, the two discussed the situation in Ukraine “for a while”, as the 1,000-day anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion rapidly approaches.
Without giving further details, Scholz said he got the impression that Trump “has a more nuanced position than is often imagined”.
Asked by the newspaper whether Trump would make a deal over the heads of the Ukrainians, Scholz said Trump had given “no indication” that he would do so.
Germany, for its part, would not accept “peace by order”, Scholz said.
Scholz spoke separately by phone with Putin on Friday, the first conversation between the two leaders since December 2022.
Scholz urged Putin to end the war and negotiate with Ukraine for a “just and lasting peace.”
In an interview with the newspaper, Scholz stressed that Putin “did not succeed in winning over the entire country”.
“NATO has gained two additional members, Finland and Sweden, and it is stronger than ever,” Scholz said.
“Ukraine has become a strong nation with prospects for joining the European Union and a clear orientation towards Western Europe. It is a country with a very strong military.”
Scholz said, “We must not underestimate all this, even though the huge numbers of dead and injured and the incredible destruction in Ukraine are horrifying.”
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