Germany, the EU and NATO warned Russia against an attack on Ukraine on Saturday morning.

"War is looming in Europe and the risk is anything but averted," said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) at the Munich Security Conference.

This danger is currently even behind the fight against the corona virus and climate change.

Germany is still ready, he summarized the demands of the federal government in the following motto: "As much diplomacy as possible without being naive."

Lorenz Hemicker

Editor in Politics

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At the beginning of the second day of the conference, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she still hoped that peace would prevail.

But Europe is ready to answer.

If Russia attacks, it will have high costs.

Europe has put together a robust package of sanctions.

Even in the event that Russia suspends gas supplies, the continent is on the safe side.

Europe will get through the winter.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said afterwards that there was still no evidence of a withdrawal of Russian troops from the border with Ukraine.

On the contrary, the march will continue.

NATO is trying to make military operations more difficult for the Kremlin by being open about their information about the Russian troop deployment.

"We don't know what will happen, but the risk of war is real," said Stoltenberg, who was awarded the Ewald von Kleist Prize at the Security Conference in Munich on Saturday.

Moscow is trying to turn back history and expand its sphere of influence again.

But it is not too late for Russia to change course.

NATO has presented a substantial agenda.

Stoltenberg expressed concern that China was now also asking NATO not to accept any more members.

He rejected the request.

Violations of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine

Sovereign states can decide for themselves what alliance they want; this will not be left to other authoritarian states.

"If Russia wants less NATO on its borders, it will get more NATO.

If it wants to split NATO, it will get a more united NATO," Stoltenberg said.

The indications of an imminent Russian attack had increased at the start of the second day of the security conference.

The Ukrainian armed forces reported numerous violations of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, and several explosions were heard in the north of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, the causes of which initially remained unclear.

The rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine announced a general military mobilization on Saturday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj will fly straight back to Kiev after his appearance at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday afternoon.

Before that, US Vice President Kamala Harris and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will appear in Munich.