KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Ukraine for the first time in more than 2 1\/2 years Monday, just weeks after he was criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for having a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That call came at a time of widespread speculation about what the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump will mean for Ukraine as the incoming president has promised to end the conflict. In a major shift, Zelenskyy signalled Friday that an an offer of NATO membership to territory under Kyiv\u2019s control could end \u201cthe hot stage of the war\u201d in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scholz\u2019s visit comes ahead of an early German election expected in February. As the campaign gets under way, Scholz has pointed to Germany\u2019s status as Ukraine\u2019s second-biggest weapons supplier while also highlighting his \u201cprudence\u201d in working to prevent the war escalating and refusing to deliver Taurus long-range cruise missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scholz has been cautious about talk of fast-tracking NATO membership for Ukraine. In recent months, he has emphasized the importance of finding a path to peace, while stressing that it must not be chosen over Ukraine\u2019s head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scholz said that in his meeting with Zelenskyy he will announce further military deliveries this month totaling 650 million euros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI would like to make clear here on the ground that Germany will remain Ukraine\u2019s strongest supporter in Europe,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite that, Scholz was criticized by Zelenskyy in November for speaking to Putin in what appeared to be the first conversation with the sitting leader of a major Western power in nearly two years. In that call, Scholz urged Putin to be open to negotiations with Ukraine but the Russian leader said any peace deal should acknowledge Russia\u2019s territorial gains and security demands, including that Kyiv renounce joining NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zelenskyy suggested the call to Putin risked opening \u201ca Pandora\u2019s box\u201d and would only serve to make Russia less isolated. He traveled to Berlin in October to meet Scholz to drum up support for his \u201cvictory plan\u201d to end the war in Ukraine on a tour of European capitals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plan included a suggestion that Ukraine receive a formal invitation to join NATO and a request that Kyiv be given permission to use long-range Western missiles to strike at military targets inside Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n