BUDAPEST — Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday ruled out any German supply of weapons to Ukraine, but emphasized that Europe must stay united against Russian aggression.
As long as Russia violates international law with its occupation of Crimea and actions in eastern Ukraine, Ms. Merkel said, sanctions against Russia must remain in place.
Even if the Obama administration should decide to provide defensive and even some lethal weapons to Ukraine, as it is reportedly considering, Germany will not follow suit, she said at a news conference, adding: “I am convinced that this conflict cannot be solved militarily.”
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One of the leaders, Slomo Koves, executive rabbi of the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation, said Ms. Merkel specifically wanted to know about the far-right Jobbik party, which finished third in last year’s parliamentary elections with about 20 percent of the vote.
On Sunday, at a boisterous rally by roughly 3,000 to 4,000 opponents of Mr. Orban, demonstrators welcomed Ms. Merkel.
A version of this article appears in print on February 3, 2015, on page A9 of the New York edition with the headline: German Chancellor Rules Out Weapons Aid to Ukraine. Order Reprints| Today’s Paper|Subscribe
