Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed Liechtenstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Risch to Berlin today with military honours. The visit by the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein was part of a “long tradition of good, close relations of partnership between our two countries,” Scholz stressed after the discussion in the Chancellery.

He said that, beyond the common language, the two countries were closely connected with each other in a number of ways. Liechtenstein was an important economic partner for the Federal Republic – above all for investment and as an employer in Southern Germany, the Federal Chancellor emphasised

Daniel Risch was born in Switzerland in 1978. He has headed the government of the Principality of Liechtenstein as Prime Minister since March 2021.

Liechtenstein contributes to the sanction policy

A central topic in the discussion between the two heads of government was the Russian war against Ukraine. The attack showed “how important it is to have close and reliable partners and friends whom one can count on,” Scholz affirmed.

From the start, Liechtenstein had contributed to the EU approach and also implemented the sanctions agreed in the EU. Scholz said that he was very grateful for this,
because it was international unity which would achieve the greatest effect on the Russian regime. “It is clear that Putin did not reckon with this.”

End the war immediately!

As the Federal Chancellor continued, both countries were in agreement: “Russia must end this war immediately! It must withdraw its troops and agree to discussions with Ukraine in order to resolve this horrific conflict.”

Liechtenstein and Germany were both providing humanitarian aid for Ukraine; this applied both to aid for Ukrainian internal refugees and to provision for Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries, said Scholz. “We appreciate the fact that Liechtenstein is also strongly supporting the Republic of Moldova and has promised substantial aid.”

Stopping human trafficking

As well as the war in Ukraine, the discussion also addressed another topic: Prime Minister Risch presented an initiative by Liechtenstein for the global fight against human trafficking. “This approach to the prevention and detection of illegal flows of money in connection with human trafficking has our emphatic support,” the Federal Chancellor stressed.

It was only when criminals were no longer able to profit from financial assets that the underlying criminal offences could be curbed, and use of those assets for illegal purposes could be prevented, Scholz continued. He added that Germany, too, was involved in diverse ways in the fight against human trafficking, for example in the UN Human Rights Council.