German Chancellor Scholz receives Turkish President Erdogan

Berlin (d.de) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has received Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Berlin. They talked about current crises in the world. With respect to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Scholz and Erdogan agreed that Russia should halt its aggression as quickly as possible. Regarding their considerable differences in the way they view the current Middle East conflict, the chancellor said: “Especially at difficult moments, we need direct dialogue with each other.” Scholz emphasised in this context: “The German government condemns this act of terrorism by Hamas in the strongest possible terms.” At the same time, he reiterated Germany’s solidarity with Israel. He added that Germany and Turkey shared concerns about a wider conflagration in the Middle East. Both politicians agreed that humanitarian pauses were needed in the short term to deliver aid to the civilian population and that a two-state solution was necessary in the long term.

Strengthening German-Turkish relations

The German chancellor also highlighted the good contacts and personal encounters between the citizens of both countries. He recalled that Germany had provided immediate aid following the earthquake in the Gaziantep region in February, made it possible for several thousand of those affected to stay in Germany temporarily and made funding available for reconstruction. Scholz also pledged further assistance. There was likewise great potential for economic cooperation, he said.