**German Foreign Minister Urges Chancellor to Support Ukraine Aid**
Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz not to use aid to Ukraine as a tool for election campaigning. She made the request on January 20 in Berlin.
Baerbock said that times are difficult and Germany has a big responsibility to help. She emphasized that Germany will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary. This is important, she said, because it shows Europe can work together for security.
Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also supports more aid for Ukraine. However, Chancellor Scholz wants to wait until the country borrows more money before making a decision. Other parties are against this plan.
Baerbock and Pistorius want to help Ukraine with 3 billion euros in security assistance. This is because Russia’s war on Ukraine is getting worse. The United States’ support for Ukraine might change soon, which makes Germany’s role even more important.
**International Reaction**
Other world leaders have also spoken out about the situation in Ukraine. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there needs to be a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron wants Ukraine to be able to negotiate from a strong position in the future.
The European Union is trying to stop Russia from delivering gas to Europe. The head of the EU’s energy department, Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, said this is an important goal for Brussels.
**Other Developments**
China has become Russia’s main supplier of goods since Western countries imposed sanctions. However, Chinese imports are not replacing all the Western equipment and raw materials that were lost due to these sanctions.
In other news, Ukraine reported a large number of drone attacks from Russian forces overnight on January 20. This included 141 drones launched from several cities in Russia.
A fire also broke out in the city of Kazan in Russia’s Tatarstan republic after a Ukrainian drone attack. There were reports of casualties and damage.
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