MOSCOW. Feb 15 (Interfax) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned of severe economic and political consequences in the event that Russia takes military action against Ukraine.
"It's quite clear to the federal government that any further military aggression against Ukraine will lead to severe political, economic and strategic consequences. It seemed to me that everybody knew that," Scholz said at a press conference that he attended together with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Scholz highlighted, however, that such escalation must be avoided at all costs. "The search for diplomatic solutions is one of the key reasons why I visited Kyiv yesterday and am visiting Moscow today," he said.
A top-level dialogue has been launched within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Scholz recalled. The dialogue will be held in the spirit of mutual understanding and mutual recognition of principles agreed upon within the framework of the association, he said. "These principles include the sanctity of borders, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine. This is non-negotiable," Scholz said.
The German chancellor called for discussing these issues as part of the dialogue. "We should not reach a stalemate, which would lead us all into trouble," he said.
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