On India visit, German Chancellor Scholz stresses on finding political solutions to Russia-Ukraine, West Asia conflicts

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who is on an India visit on Friday urged for collective action by countries to do whatever they can to bring about political solutions to resolving global conflicts, including Russia-Ukraine and West Asian crisis, based on international law and the principles of the UN Charter.

“Let us do whatever we can to bring about political solutions to these conflicts. Solutions that are based on international law and the principles of the UN Charter…,” Scholz said while addressing the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2024.

Scholz’s remarks come amid rising tensions in regions in the Middle East, South China Sea, and East China Sea. He warned that a successful Russian invasion of Ukraine would have far-reaching repercussions on Europe’s borders, compromising global security and prosperity.

“If Russia is to succeed in its illegal brutal war against Ukraine, there would be repercussions far beyond Europe’s borders. Such an outcome would endanger global security and prosperity as a whole,” the German Chancellor said.

“The Middle East remains another constant source of tension and a stark reminder of the human cost of division and the world’s inability to reach political solutions. The Korean Peninsula, the South and East China Sea all remain flash points of potential conflicts, even though we all hope that these conflicts can be contained…” he said.

He said that the world of the 21st century “is something where progress is the question we have to work for. In multipolar world there is no global policemen, no single watchdog monitoring our common rules and institutions, each and every one of us is called upon to defend and uphold them.”

Emphasising on the the importance of strengthened bilateral relations between Germany and India, particularly in areas such as defence, trade, and clean energy, Scholz said, “We need more cooperation, not less.”

“Our intergovernmental consultation with India, we also want to deepen our cooperation on defense and agree to bring our militaries closer together, our overall message is clear, we need more cooperation, not less,” he said.

“Today, we are meeting in the world’s biggest democracy. The fastest-growing major economy in the world with the most rapidly expanding renewable energy sector of any major economy,” Chancellor Scholz said in his address to Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2024.

Scholz and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the conference today in the national capital.

The German Chancellor is in India for the 7th Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC), a biannual meeting involving ministers from both countries.

Scholz met early this morning with the Prime Minister at his Minister’s official residence in the national capital. Scholz will also hold key bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“In this world we need friends and allies – just like India and Germany,” Scholz took to his social media platform X to post adding “Dear @narendramodi, thank you for your warm welcome in New Delhi”

Upon his arrival in New Delhi on Thursday the German leader was received by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai.

This marks Scholz’s third visit to India since he became Chancellor in 2021. In the year 2023, he visited India twice – for a bilateral state visit in February and to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in September.