U.S. and Germany working in ‘lockstep’ to counter Russian aggression and other challenges
International diplomatic efforts continue in Moscow and Washington to defuse the standoff over Ukraine.
On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House to demonstrate a united front against potential Russian military aggression in Ukraine. Their meeting would focus on shared concerns about Russia’s military buildup on Ukraine’s border and shared commitment to both diplomatic efforts to encourage Russia to de-escalate tension and to ensure deterrence to further Russian aggression.
“Germany is one of America’s closest allies,” Biden said before the meeting. “We’re working in lockstep to further deter Russian aggression in Europe and to address the challenges posed by China and to promote stability in the Western Balkans.”
Biden has ruled out dispatching the U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine but has deployed 3,000 U.S. troops to Romania and Poland to bolster support to European states and sent $500 million in military assistance to the Kyiv.
The two leaders would also discuss robust sanctions to be imposed if Russia further invades Ukraine.Before meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that “there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily.” The German leader is due to visit both Ukraine and Russia next week, after meetings with Biden, European Union officials and the heads of Baltic states.
Biden and Scholz would also discuss the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a natural gas conduit being built between Germany and Russia. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said the United States would work with Germany “to ensure that Nord Stream 2 does not move forward should Russia invade.” Germany considers the pipeline critical to meet its energy needs and is one of the biggest buyer of Russian gas in the world. But there has been strong opposition from United States and some Western countries that argue that it would increase Europe’s reliance on Russia and imperil the continent’s security.
French President in Moscow
In Moscow, French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of efforts by Western nations to stave off a possible Russian invasion of its neighbor.
Macron called for de-escalation, saying that “Dialogue is necessary because that’s the only thing that will help, in my views, to build a context of a security and stability on the European continent.”
Putin appreciated France’s role and efforts “to resolve the crisis” to help ensure “equal security in Europe” and address the crisis in southeastern Ukraine and said that Russia and France had shared concerns about Europe’s security, the Russian leader said.
Kremlin termed it a “very important visit” but expected no major breakthrough. President Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “the situation is too complicated to expect a decisive breakthrough after just one meeting,” adding that the West has ignored Moscow’s security demands.
The buildup of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine’s borders has fueled worries of a possible offensive. Russia has denied any plans to invade Ukraine and demanded that the U.S. and its allies bar Ukraine from joining NATO and halt weapons deployments in the region. Washington and NATO rejected those demands.
