Germany called on Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine and engage in dialogue to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
"What we expect from Russia now is clear steps to de-escalate and to reduce the present tensions in the region. At the same time, we stand ready to engage in a meaningful dialogue with Russia on European security issues," the German chancellor told a joint news conference with the leaders of the Baltic states in Berlin.
Olaf Scholz underlined that Western nations are united and ready to impose heavy sanctions against Russia, if Moscow makes further incursions to Ukraine.
"We want to make it very clear that any further military aggression against Ukraine would have serious political, economic, and strategic consequences for Russia," he stressed.
Scholz also said he will be traveling to Ukraine and Russia next week, as part of Germany’s efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
