Under the impression of a further increase in Russian armed forces at the border and indications of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) called at the Munich Security Conference to use diplomatic opportunities, "no matter how small" to to avert a war.

Peter Carstens

Political correspondent in Berlin

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Scholz said: "War is looming in Europe and the risk is anything but averted".

He wanted to make it clear: "We can say that our free-democratic model has held its own against competing systems." The right to a life in freedom and dignity is not a Western claim, but a universal value.

The international order presupposes the will to cooperate, with self-confidence and "yes, definitely also own strength".

But you have to stick to the rules of the game.

"The deployment of well over 100,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine is not justified by anything" An attack would be a serious mistake "and we don't want it to happen".

They are ready to negotiate, but will have to distinguish between untenable demands and legitimate interests.

The principles include the right to free choice of alliance.

Europe and NATO would “never say there is no openness in principle”.

But one must also see that “there will not be too many accessions in the future”.

"Don't be naive"

Any further violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity will have high costs for Russia.

At the same time he emphasized that diplomacy will not fail because of the West.

He urged Kiev and Moscow to implement the Minsk agreement.

"Of course I'm under no illusions, quick successes are not to be expected," said Scholz at his first appearance before the Munich Security Conference.

But it is about "nothing less than peace in Europe."

You shouldn't be naive.

The troop deployment is clear, everything is ready on land, at sea, in the air for an attack on Ukraine".

Nevertheless, the chance "however small" remains a chance for negotiations.

Anyone who now predicts what will happen has “been infected with a hubris virus or something”.

The West is prepared for an attack and can "act immediately if aggression occurs".

Putin had recently "acted as a historian", but he wanted to say that Europe will only remain peaceful if borders are accepted as they are.

If you leaf through history books you will find a hundred reasons for aggression, but that does nothing for a peaceful future.

On the issue of arms exports, Scholz repeated that German export laws made it impossible to export arms.

“Nevertheless, it is not the case that Ukraine has not come up with arms.

We, on the other hand, have provided the greatest support for the economic and financial stabilization of Ukraine.” According to Scholz, it would be nice if this were recognized not only behind closed doors, but also beforehand.