Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has accused the Russian military of committing war crimes in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.

Russian soldiers "carried out a massacre of Ukrainian civilians there, including children, women and the elderly," Scholz said in the Bundestag on Wednesday.

"The murder of civilians is a war crime." The "horrific images" from Bucha "shook us all deeply," said Scholz.

He sharply rejected claims by the Russian leadership that the relevant recordings were fake.

"The cynical assertion spread by Russia that this topic is a staging falls back on those who spread these lies." The perpetrators and their clients "must be held accountable," Scholz demanded.

“The killing of the Russian military” in Ukraine meanwhile continues unabated, said Scholz.

It must be expected that "more such pictures" as in Butscha would come to light.

Scholz again urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to immediately end the "destructive and self-destructive" war in Ukraine.

"Terror against the whole people"

Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) had previously condemned the events in Butscha.

"Incomprehensible atrocities" were committed there, she said at the beginning of the Bundestag session.

In many places in Ukraine, cities are under siege, "evacuation and humanitarian aid are being blocked, the supply of food, water and electricity is being systematically cut." "It's obviously about terror against the whole people," said Bas, adding: "The German Bundestag condemns these war crimes in the strongest possible terms.”

Scholz also announced further arms deliveries to Ukraine on Wednesday.

"It must be our goal that Russia does not win this war." In coordination with the EU and NATO partners, Ukraine will continue to be supplied with weapons and the pressure on Russia will be increased through sanctions.

From Scholz's point of view, the neutrality offered by Ukraine in the event of an end to the Russian war of aggression is a "major concession to the aggressor".

It must not “come down to a dictated peace”.

When he speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin, he always makes it clear: “It is the Ukrainians who negotiate what they are willing to agree on.

Nobody else."

The question of security guarantees for Ukraine that has arisen has “not yet been spelled out,” said the SPD politician.

"Of course we talk about it, but also with the necessary confidentiality, with Ukraine and do the same with the others who have been addressed." At the moment, however, this cannot be specified any further.

First of all, the questions that are to be guaranteed would have to be settled.

Scholz spoke out against using the nuclear power plants in Germany longer because of the Russian war in Ukraine.

That was "not a good plan," said the SPD politician on Wednesday in the Bundestag.

The nuclear power plants are not prepared for continued operation, and Germany has also decided for good reason to phase out operations.

Germany is struggling to become less dependent on oil and, above all, gas imports from Russia.

If you want to let the nuclear power plants run longer, new fuel rods and other nuclear resources are needed, said Scholz.

However, these are not readily available.

Scholz spoke of a milkmaid bill and pointed out that not all fossil imports could be replaced by nuclear energy.

For example, oil imports are also used to manufacture chemical products.

From the top meeting with the federal states on Thursday, Scholz expects an agreement on the open questions about the accommodation of Ukrainian refugees.

"I wish that we didn't have a long, long discussion about financial issues between the different levels of our country," said Scholz.

He is striving for a quick agreement between the federal, state and local authorities, "so that we can turn to the actual task: How do we help the refugees who have sought protection here," Scholz continued.

The prime ministers' conference on Thursday will "make important decisions on all the issues involved: registration, accommodation and of course joint financing".

Scholz recalled that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians had come to Germany in the past few weeks.

"There will be more," said the Chancellor.

"You are welcome here - I want to say that again at this point."