US President Joe Biden thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany’s leadership in supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia. “I want to thank you, Olaf, for your strong and consistent leadership,” Biden said in a meeting with Scholz at the White House yesterday. “I mean it honestly. It made a huge difference.”
Germany is not only providing “military support” but also “moral support” that runs very “deep”, Biden said in the Oval Office of the White House. Scholz has driven “historic changes” in Germany, increasing defense spending and moving away from reliance on Russian energy. It wasn’t “easy” but “very difficult”.
Portal/Kevin Lamarque
“We work together in step”
“We are working together to provide critical security support to Ukraine,” Biden said. Germany and the US would also make NATO “stronger and more capable”.
Scholz spoke of a “very, very important year because of the very dangerous threat to peace posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”. “It is really important that we act together”, added the chancellor, referring to the support for Ukraine after the start of Russia’s war of aggression on February 24, 2022. “Now it is very important that we send the message that we will continue to do this for the as long as it takes and for as long as it takes, and that we are ready to stand by the Ukrainians for as long as it takes.
Scholz: “Very good cooperation” with the US
Scholz, who spoke in English, spoke of “very good cooperation” with the US. The transatlantic partnership is “actually in very good shape today”. After their statements to the press, Biden and Scholz withdrew to speak about the war in Ukraine. A press conference afterwards was not planned.
Scholz had already assured before leaving for Washington that the transatlantic partnership was “closer and more confident than ever”. However, there were also differences of opinion between Berlin and Washington when it came to supporting Ukraine. In January, for example, tensions erupted between the two governments over the supply of Western main battle tanks.