Scholz says NATO would not engage with Russia over Ukraine

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Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed the Bundestag on Wednesday, outlining the government's policies, with the speech focusing on Ukraine as part of a four-day parliamentary debate on Germany's budget.

In response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request for German support in a video addressed to the Bundestag last week, Scholz said "President Zelenskyy, Ukraine can count on our help," adding that his government was doing its utmost to help end the Russian operation in Ukraine, mentioning his talks with Zelensky and Russia's President Vladimir Putin as one effort that serves this end.

As for a possible NATO involvement in Ukraine, Scholz insisted that the alliance would not go into a direct military confrontation with Russia over Kiev, saying the West will instead continue its path of imposing sanctions against Moscow. 

"NATO will not become a party to the war," Scholz said, stressing that allies in the US and the EU supported this position as well. He also said that Germany will not support Zelensky's demands for a NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine.

"The refugees are welcome here," he said. Over 238,000 refugees from Ukraine have already arrived in Germany, according to Germany's federal police.

Commenting on his country and Europe's energy dependence on Russia, the German Chancellor said that Europe will eventually end this dependence, but maintained that doing so quickly would put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk and harm entire industrial sectors. 

However, there will be an increase in Germany's military budget in response to the war, but this will not impact expenditure on healthcare, fighting climate change, and social welfare.