World must ‘avoid Putin’s trap’, says German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

German chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday that the relations with Russia will never be the same after the invasion of Ukraine. Scholz added that the world stands unified in their support for Ukraine amidst the current crisis and warned against ‘walking into Putin’s trap’ as Russia continues to point out cracks in the relations between European Union (EU) nations. “We must not walk into the trap Putin sets of asserting that the world is divided into the global west – the G7 and its friends in the north – and all the rest. That’s not true,” Scholz told Germany’s ZDF television in an interview.

“There are democracies all over the world and they have very similar perspectives,” the German chancellor added at the sidelines of the G7 summit which is currently underway in Germany.

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In the aftermath of the Russian invasion, Germany, along with a number of European Union countries, has decided to cut down on Russian oil exports and on Saturday, he once again made it clear." When the situation changes, we have to change," Scholz said in a televised statement.

This year, the G7 summit has also invited leaders from five countries which Scholz called “democracies of the future” - India, Indonesia, Senegal, South Africa and Argentina.

"It is good, important and necessary that we talk to each other. Listening to each other creates mutual understanding and makes our work easier," he said according to Reuters.

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Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked G7 nations to "limit the price of Russian oil" and to "intensify sanctions" against Russia over its invasion of his country.

"Ukraine will negotiate when it is in a position to do so, that is when it has basically re-established a position of strength," the French presidency said after Zelensky joined the G7 leaders via video link.

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