Germany, with all its partners in the EU, is actively engaged in efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis, Olaf Scholz told German public broadcaster ZDF.
Scholz said he has spoken with Putin and will discuss the Ukraine issue with the Russian president during his Moscow trip.
“It has been planned and will happen soon,” Scholz said about the Russia visit, adding that he will first head to the US.
He said the Ukraine crisis is at a “very serious” point as the military buildup on the country’s border cannot be ignored.
To a question about some allies terming Germany’s stance on the issue as “unreliable,” Scholz said Berlin has made significant military contributions as part of NATO and provided immense support to Ukraine.
Ukraine and Russia have been locked in conflict since hostilities in the Donbas region broke out in 2014 after Russia illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula.
Russia has also recently amassed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine’s borders, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against the former Soviet republic.
Moscow has denied it is preparing to invade and said its troops are there for exercises.
