Putin will end war when he realizes it cannot be won on battlefield - Scholz

He said this at a meeting of European Social Democrats in Bucharest, Reuters reports.

"The war in Ukraine ends the moment that (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin decides to withdraw his troops. However, he will only take that decision if he realizes that he cannot win the war on the battlefield," said the German leader.

The German chancellor promised that his country would not stop its efforts to support Ukraine and called on the West to continue such support.

According to Scholz, the best way to prevent any escalation, including a potential conflict between Russia and NATO, is through effective deterrence.

"Therefore we are investing more in our own security and defense jointly as Europeans so that no one dares to attack us.”

• In his Easter address, the German Chancellor called on Germans to support Ukraine for the sake of a just peace.