German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday, agreeing on the phone to work toward a “fair, just and sustainable peace” in Ukraine as soon as possible.
According to German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit, Scholz and Trump “agreed that the Russian war against Ukraine had gone on for far too long and that it was important to get on the path to a fair, just and sustainable peace as soon as possible.” Hebestreit added that the Chancellor recommitted his support for the defense of Ukraine.
The phone call happened while Scholz was in Brussels on Thursday for the European Council summit, at which leaders discussed the EU’s role in global affairs and how to prepare for more limited U.S. support for Ukraine during Trump’s second term.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined leaders in Brussels as he sought to shore up defense commitments from European allies.
“Welcome, Donald,” Zelenskyy told reporters on Thursday in response to a question about how he feels about Trump’s return to the White House, adding that he very much “wants Trump to help us and finish this war.”
Thursday’s call marked the second recent conversation between the German leader and the U.S. president-elect. Scholz and Trump spoke shortly after Trump’s reelection in November, with Scholz subsequently remarking that the conversation went “surprisingly” well. The November call focused similarly on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the two leaders agreed at the time to work toward “restoring peace in Europe.”
Scholz and Trump’s call comes on the heels of a similar conversation between the U.S. president-elect and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer just last night, during which Starmer emphasized that Western allies must “stand together” on Ukraine.
Trump’s imminent presidency has called into question the future of U.S. support for Ukraine, as the president-elect has said he expects Europe to bear the brunt of support for Ukraine, both militarily and in possible cease-fire negotiations with Moscow.
“European guarantees won’t be sufficient for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in Brussels Thursday, adding that “real guarantees” must come from NATO — which includes the U.S.
Hans von der Burchard and Nathalie Weatherald contributed reporting.
