Germany’s Scholz urges EU to reform, strike migrants deal

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for the European Union to address the political, economic and strategic challenges it faces by embracing a series of reforms. These should include the EU’s pooling its defense procurement efforts, forging new trade deals and setting aside long-running disputes over migration from outside the bloc. Speaking to lawmakers in the European Parliament, he said that a prosperous and democratic Ukraine that eventually joins the EU would be the strongest counterpoint to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “imperialist, revisionist and illegal policies on our continent.” Scholz backed calls for “effective protection of external borders” but also urged member states to consider the benefits of migration.