Stop to bombing would be starting point for Ukraine peace talks, says Germany's Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that a halt in fighting could be a starting point for potential peace talks for Ukraine.

"It would be very helpful if the bombing were to stop...That would also be the starting point for talks that can then continue," Scholz told journalists after a meeting of European leaders in London.

He said that a focus for allies will be to ensure that Ukraine has a strong army when the war there is over so that it can defend itself against any future aggression.

"The basis of everything will be a strong army," Scholz said.