Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed reporters at a joint press conference Monday in Berlin, following a meeting between the two leaders.

Scholz lauded talks between senior German and Israeli officials, saying the two countries are "expanding their partnership even further."

The chancellor said he and Lapid discussed the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, adding that the two agreed to condemn the invasion.

"We agree that this blatant breach of international law is unacceptable. The killing in Ukraine must stop. Germany, Europe, and Israel stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in these difficult times."

In his remarks following Scholz, Prime Minister Lapid called on Germany and other European powers negotiating with Tehran to rethink its strategy vis-a-vis Iran's nuclear aspirations, imploring world leaders not to remove sanctions on Iran.

"Talk does not stop evil. Liberal democracies must be willing and able to defend themselves. Sometimes, freedom must be defended with force. Our partnership also requires us to act together against the growing threat of Iran becoming a nuclear state."

"Germany is one of the E3 countries, and this is part of the responsibility it has taken upon itself.
I presented the Chancellor sensitive and relevant intelligence information on this subject.
As always, in our close relations with Germany, we were granted full attention and full cooperation."



"I welcomed the statement by Germany, France and the UK on the JCPOA. It is time to move past the failed negotiations with Iran. They can not and will not achieve the goal we all share – to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon."

"We discussed the need for a new strategy to stop Iran's nuclear program. A nuclear Iran will destabilize the Middle East, and create a nuclear arms race that will endanger the entire world. Returning to the nuclear agreement, under the current conditions, would be a critical mistake."

"Removing sanctions and pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into Iran will bring waves of terrorism, not only to the Middle East, but also across Europe."

"There is another way. A better way forward for the Middle East. It is the path of the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum. A path based on a shared vision for the region. A vision not of war, extremism and terrorism but of peace, tolerance and cooperation."