Scholz Warns of Cold war, World Division

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned of provoking a new Cold War by dividing the world into blocs and called for all efforts towards building new partnerships.

In an opinion piece in Foreign Affairs published online Monday, Scholz said the West should stand up for democratic values and protect open societies, "but we should also avoid the temptation to once again divide the world into blocs." 

Scholz pointed to China and Russia in particular as countries that pose a threat to a multipolar world, which would require stronger European and transatlantic unity to overcome.

He wrote that the transatlantic partnership remains vital to meeting the challenges posed by Russia's threat of possible attacks on Allied lands, while China's shift toward isolation and its approach to Taiwan require Europe and North America to form new and stronger partnerships with countries around the world.