One day before Germans go to the polls in the European Parliament elections, Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed his support for war-torn Ukraine.
"Russia will not get away with its imperialist plans," the Social Democratic (SPD) chancellor said in his weekly video message published on Saturday.
"Putin must realize that he cannot win his brutal campaign. That there can only be a just peace for Ukraine."
Polls ahead of Sunday's vote show the SPD with about 15% of the vote - roughly the same as seen for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Besting the SPD would cement the AfD's status as Germany's second-most popular party, behind the conservative CDU/CSU opposition.
No NATO troops in Ukraine, chancellor reaffirms
Following French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that he wants to send military trainers to Ukraine, Scholz once again clearly rejected the deployment of German soldiers to the war zone.
"We will continue to prevent an escalation," he said at an election campaign event of his Social Democratic Paty (SPD) in Duisburg on Saturday.
This also includes the clear statement by US President Joe Biden and the German chancellor himself that there will be no soldiers from their countries in Ukraine, nor from NATO.
Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on Friday, Macron said on the subject of military trainers: "We want to have a coalition for reasons of efficiency, and several of our partners have already given their consent."
The coming days would be used to finalize the largest possible coalition that would be able to respond to Ukraine's request, he said.
Macron emphasised that this request was legitimate. Under certain circumstances, it would be much more efficient and practical to train on Ukrainian soil.
Scholz said that the standards for German support could be summarised under one heading: "Prudence, prudence, prudence." He again stressed it was important to support Ukraine, but also to prevent any escalation between Russia and NATO.
Scholz on the international stage
Ahead of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, which opens this Thursday, and a Swiss peace conference on Ukraine that begins on June 15, Scholz emphasized constant coordination with partners and allies.
He said he would be promoting a common position towards Russia with representatives from Asia, Africa and South America at the Swiss confereence. It is important that nations stand by international law and the United Nations Charter, he said.
"And that is why Russia must end its war of conquest."
In a nod to some in Germany who worry about Russia's war in Ukraine expanding to other parts of Europe, Scholz repeated his stance that with German support for Ukraine "we are not jeopardizing peace here in Germany."
