Western Governments Must Prepare for Long-Term Conflict Amid Ukraine Crisis, Scholz Warns

Germany’s Scholz claimed in a recent interview that despite marching in lockstep with the Biden administration on the conflict in Ukraine, he continues to seek a peaceful resolution to hostilities.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said Western governments should ready themselves for a long-term conflict amid Russia's special military operation, in comments which seemed to confirm the worst fears of advocates in favor of a peaceful settlement to the Ukraine conflict.

“We must prepare ourselves” for protracted conflict with the Russian Federation, Scholz told reporters at talks arranged by a German outlet, adding, “even when the war is over, everything won’t go back to normal overnight.”

In spite of his hawkish rhetoric, the chancellor went on to insist that Berlin should seek to mediate in hypothetical talks between Moscow and the US-backed regime in Kiev.

As the economic backlash caused by anti-Russia sanctions continues to reduce support for further arms shipment to the Kiev regime, Scholz insisted he was “not acting recklessly” - comments interpreted by media as “a rejection of too far-reaching arms deliveries to Ukraine.”

The chancellor claimed he regularly communicates with Russian President Vladimir Putin via telephone, and that the discussions frequently last over an hour. While Scholz explained Putin is “always polite,” German media reports there are fundamental disagreements between the two heads of states.

But Scholz noted that relations with the United States, on the other hand, are flourishing. Indeed, the chancellor shares a “common political concept” with US President Joe Biden, according to the outlet.

Scholz had similar words for the European Union, which he insisted was stronger than it appears to outside observers. But he continued to demand the bloc change its rules nonetheless.

"It has to be that one country cannot stop everything," Scholz said, in comments which sought to establish a reversal of the so-called “unanimity principle” which has traditionally united the EU.

Painting those who oppose a change to the rules as “a bit more Kaiser Wilhelm than democracy,” Scholz insisted, “we must not see the fact that not everyone always agrees as a problem.”

Seeking universal agreement, “like the Holy Spirit who comes over us… might work in the Catholic Church, but not here,” Scholz lectured his opposition,” because “we lack divine support there.”

“We cannot simply leave all institutional structures as they are,” Scholz reportedly insisted, citing foreign policy issues as “a good step” to begin with.