Germany's leader has urged Europe and the United States to think carefully when considering sanctions against Russia for any aggression against Ukraine in a crisis pitting Berlin's main gas supplier against its biggest security allies.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Scholz has cautions its Western allies over the use of sanctions against Russia. Photo: AFP
Among a range of possible Western sanctions against President Vladmir Putin's government, Germany could halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia if it invades Ukraine.
But that would risk exacerbating a gas supply crunch in Europe that has caused energy prices to soar.
"Prudence dictates choosing measures that will have the greatest effect on those who violate the jointly agreed principles," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Scholz was quoted as saying by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Sunday.
"At the same time, we have to consider the consequences this will have for us," Scholz added, saying nobody should think there was a measure available without consequences for Germany.
According to a pre-release of the interview, Scholz also countered any impression that the United States and Europe could not agree on a joint set of sanctions.
"In the circle of allies, we agree on possible measures. It's good. We have to be able to act in case of an emergency," he said.
The European Union has threatened "massive" sanctions and US Senate Democrats have unveiled a bill to potentially punish Russian officials, military leaders and banking institutions.
Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine's borders but denies planning to invade the former Soviet republic. It is already subject to sanctions since its 2014 annexation of Crimea from its neighbour.
Scholz rejected a demand by Russia to rule out once and for all Ukraine's membership of transatlantic military alliance NATO. "Such a guarantee can't be given," the chancellor said.
But he did say that NATO membership of other nations in eastern Europe was "currently not on the agenda at all".
Head of German Navy resigns
Meanwhile, the head of the German navy has resigned over comments he made over Ukraine.
Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach, Inspector of the German Navy was forced to resign over his comments about Russia and Nato. Photo: AFP
Kay-Achim Schönbach said the idea that Russia wanted to invade Ukraine was nonsense. He added that all President Vladimir Putin wanted was respect.
A number of countries have supplied weapons to Ukraine, including the US and UK. But Germany has refused Ukraine's request for ammunition.
President Putin has not only demanded Ukraine be stopped from joining the military defence alliance with Nato, he wants Nato to abandon military exercises and stop sending weapons to eastern Europe, seeing this as a direct threat to Russia's security.
Schönbach said yesterday that he had resigned from his role "with immediate effect" in order to "avert further damage".
He had been speaking at a think-tank discussion in India on Friday and the video was later published to social media.
In the video, Schönbach sai Putidn needed to be treated as an equal by the West.
"It is easy to give him the respect he really demands - and also probably deserves," he said.
He added that the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, "is gone and will never come back".
Ukraine's foreign ministry described Schönbach's comments as "categorically unacceptable".
- BBC/REUTERS