Before the visit, Olaf Scholz said that in Kiev he wanted to express solidarity and support for Ukraine, while Moscow was urgently awaiting signs of de-escalation.
"On my way to Ukraine. Today in Kiev and tomorrow in Moscow I will continue our talks on the still very serious situation on the Ukrainian border. In Kiev, it is important for me to express our continued solidarity and support for Ukraine. We urgently expect Moscow to show signs of de-escalation. Further military aggression would have very serious consequences for Russia. I absolutely agree with our allies on this. We are witnessing a very, very serious threat to peace in Europe," Scholz wrote on Twitter.
Auf dem Weg in die #Ukraine. Heute in Kiew und morgen in Moskau werde ich unsere Gespräche zur weiterhin sehr ernsten Lage an der Grenze der Ukraine fortführen. In Kiew ist mir wichtig, der Ukraine unsere fortdauernde Solidarität und Unterstützung auszudrücken. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/OjpKU4g490
As a reminder, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev today. Reuters reports that a source in the German government said that Scholz and Zelensky will assess their situation after the talks in the Normandy format and assess how they can advance the dialogue.
Note that the trip is part of a diplomatic effort to de-escalate the crisis through dialogue. Scholz will fly to Moscow on Tuesday, February 15, to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"These trips are about how we can find a way to ensure peace in Europe," Scholz told reporters, saying Russia's buildup of about 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border poses "a very serious threat."
