German Chancellor Scholz’s First Conversation With Putin in Almost Two Years

November 15, 2024 TruthUSA

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had his first conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in nearly two years this week.

During the call on Nov. 15, Scholz urged Putin to engage in negotiations with Ukraine to bring an end to the ongoing war.

“The chancellor urged Russia to show willingness to enter talks with Ukraine with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace,” a spokesperson for the German government said in a statement.

“He stressed Germany’s unbroken determination to support Ukraine in defending against Russian aggression for as long as necessary,” the spokesperson added.

The Kremlin expressed that it viewed the call as “extremely positive” and mentioned that the conversation took place at Berlin’s request.

In response, Putin insisted that any ceasefire must consider Russian security interests and acknowledge “new territorial realities,” which hinted at Russia’s ongoing demand for substantial territorial concessions from Ukraine.

The Kremlin also stated that Putin and Scholz discussed potential energy cooperation between Russia and Germany in the future.

Germany used to rely heavily on Russian gas before the war; however, direct deliveries stopped when pipelines under the Baltic Sea were sabotaged in 2022.

The call faced immediate criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who accused Scholz of undermining efforts to isolate Putin on the global stage by initiating the call.

“Now there might be other conversations, other calls,” Zelenskyy remarked in an evening speech.

“And this is exactly what Putin has long desired: it is crucial for him to reduce his isolation and engage in regular negotiations,” he added.

Zelenskyy pointed out that Moscow had previously used talks to further its interests at Ukraine’s expense, including during negotiations related to the conflict with Russian-backed paramilitary groups that began in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, Germany has provided Ukraine with a total of 15 billion euros in financial, humanitarian, and military aid.

Despite pressure from both ends of the political spectrum over its handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Scholz’s party will face a snap election in February.

The call follows the U.S. presidential elections, with President-elect Donald Trump pledging to end the war early in his term and push Russia and Ukraine towards the negotiating table.

German officials noted that Putin and Scholz agreed to stay in touch, with Scholz planning to update Zelenskyy and Germany’s allies on the call’s outcomes.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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