‘Offended sausage’ Scholz mocked over rift with Kyiv

Olaf Scholz has accused Ukraine of creating a “problem” for diplomatic relations after criticism over his failure to visit Kyiv.

The chancellor said German people were unhappy with Ukraine after it prevented Frank-walter Steinmeier, Berlin’s president, from visiting Kyiv last month amid concerns he was too close to Russia.

“It is a problem for the... German people that the president was asked not to come,” Mr Scholz, who appeared to rule out a visit to Ukraine in the near future, said.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Berlin responded by calling Mr Scholz a “Leberwurst” (offended sausage) a German idiom for a person with thin skin.

Mr Scholz’s remarks reflect a growing rift between Berlin and Ukraine at a time when leaders say full diplomatic support is crucial.