Leaders of Germany, France, and Poland have pledged “far-reaching consequences” for Russia if it attacks Ukraine.
New York Times reported that the leaders came to this conclusion on Tuesday after two days of frenzied diplomacy. But they did not specify what those consequences would be or whether the steps would result in de-escalation of tensions.
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, went to Berlin on Tuesday to brief Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor, and Polish President Andrzej Duda on his Monday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As progress toward de-escalating the Ukraine crisis remained elusive, Scholz and his French and Polish counterparts stood side by side, emphasizing their solidarity in the face of Russian aggression.
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“The most important thing today is unity and solidarity,” said Duda, whose country borders Russia and Ukraine to the east, as well as Russia’s ally Belarus. “We have to show that we speak with one voice, that we are a community, and that our will cannot be broken. We also have to show that we will take no step back. We leave no one behind.”
Commenting on Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine, he said, “Europe has not seen such a movement of troops since World War II”.
Each of the three leaders emphasised their commitment to peace.
“We all share one goal – preserving peace in Europe with diplomacy and clear messages, and the common readiness to act jointly,” Scholz said.
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Macron called “peace and stability” in Europe the “most important resource” the continent has, while Duda expressed optimism that Europe would manage to avoid war.
Scholz, who attempted to allay worries about Germany’s willingness to bear the burden of economic sanctions, repeated the rhetoric he used in Washington a day earlier, warning Moscow of harsh repercussions, but without detailing what they would be.
“A further violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine is unacceptable and would lead to far-reaching consequences for Russia, politically, economically and surely geo-strategically, too,” Scholz said. “Yesterday in Washington, I spoke extensively to U.S. President Biden about that, and we were completely united on that.”
Macron, who has spoken with Putin five times by telephone in recent weeks and on Monday in person, stressed the importance of engaging Russia in dialogue.
“It’s about defending the principles Europe developed over the last 30 years, the sovereignty of all states, the territorial integrity, also our values,” he said. “We have to find the ways and means to hold this ambitious and important dialogue with Russia.”
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