Putin’s Ukraine war is ‘a crusade against democracy’, warns Germany’s Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has claimed that Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is a “crusade against democracy”.

Mr Scholz also pledged to keep supporting Ukraine “for as long as it takes” while speaking at a summit in Berlin.

“Vladimir Putin and his enablers have made one thing very clear: this war is not only about Ukraine. They consider their war against Ukraine to be part of a larger crusade, a crusade against liberal democracy,” said Scholz.

He added that Germany will “continue our support for as long as it takes, for as long as that support is needed to fend off Russia’s abhorrent aggression”.

It followed up an attack last month by Scholz on Russia, when he addressed the United Nations General Assembly.

He said Putin would only give up his “imperial ambitions”, which pose a risk of destruction to Ukraine and Russia, if the Russian leader recognised that he cannot win the war.

“If we want Putin’s war to end, then we cannot be indifferent to how it ends. This is why we will not accept a peace dictated by Russia – and we will not accept any sham referendums either. This is why Ukraine must be able to defend itself against Russia’s invasion.”

The latest words will be welcomed in Ukraine, where there has been long-standing suspicion of Germany’s support for Kyiv.

Ukraine has complained that deliveries of weapons from Berlin have been delayed or there have not been enough, with public clashes between senior officials on both sides.

In April, Germany’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was told that his presence “wasn’t wanted in Kyiv”, after claims that he enjoyed close relations with Russia.

In August, Germany announced it was providing Ukraine with Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems.

The air defence systems, which are operated by three-person crews and can hit targets at a distance of up to 2½ miles, are one of the various pieces of Western military kit being supplied to Ukraine to help it fend off the Russian advance.

And last month, the country’s defence minister said Berlin would provide Ukraine with four additional self-propelled howitzers and ammunition.

“Ukraine is full of praise for the system and has expressed a desire for more howitzers,” said Christine Lambrecht. “In order to further support Ukraine in its brave fight against the brutal Russian attack, Germany will grant this request.”

Under Scholz’s predecessor, Angela Merkel, Germany and Russia enjoyed amicable relations, even if both sides were wary of each other, and particularly on energy where Berlin was reliant on gas.

Last year, 55 per cent of German gas imports came from Russia, partly the result of Merkel’s pursual of trade ties with Russia and backing of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, even after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014.

On Thursday, the former German leader claimed she has “no regrets” about the energy policy her government took despite its reliance on Russia.

“You always act in the time in which you find yourself,” she told reporters in Lisbon.

“In this respect, I do not regret decisions at all, rather, I believe that it was right from the perspective of the time,” she said, adding that cheap Russian gas had allowed Germany to push ahead with phasing out nuclear and coal.