BERLIN, March 21. /TASS/. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz does not rule out that the conflict in Ukraine may be a prolonged one.

"We have to be prepared for the fact that it can take a long time," DPA quoted Scholz as saying in Dusseldorf on Monday.

According to the German leader, the West should continue to support Kiev. "Ukraine must be able to defend its integrity and independence," Scholz added.

The German chancellor said he did not expect the war in Ukraine to end any time soon in an interview with Handelsblatt on March 16. However, he then said it was hardly possible to predict the future course of hostilities.