Scholz angers Ukraine with Putin phone call
Published: Friday, Nov 15th 2024, 21:20
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's first phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in almost two years has antagonized Ukraine. "In my opinion, Olaf's call opens Pandora's box," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in his evening video message. Although Berlin had informed Kiev in advance, this had now made further talks possible.
With his call, Scholz had fulfilled Putin's long-cherished wish to reduce Russia's isolation and begin talks that would ultimately lead nowhere. Putin had been doing this for decades, said Selensky. "This has allowed Russia to change nothing in its policy, to basically do nothing, and this is what led to this war," the president emphasized.
In his talks with the Kremlin leader, Scholz called on Putin to end the war of aggression against Ukraine and withdraw his troops. At the same time, the Chancellor urged Putin "to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of a just and lasting peace", government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit announced after the approximately one-hour meeting. He also reaffirmed Germany's unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russian aggression for as long as necessary.
Russia occupies around one fifth of Ukraine
Putin expressed his willingness to negotiate under certain conditions. According to the Kremlin, he insisted that any solution must take into account Moscow's security interests and "be based on the new territorial realities". Ukraine would also have to renounce its NATO membership and recognize the loss of the territories occupied by Russia. Kiev and its Western allies categorically reject this.
With the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and in the course of the war of aggression since February 2022, Russia has occupied around 20 percent of Ukraine, which it counts as part of its territory. This is probably what Putin means by the "new territorial realities". Zelenskyi categorically rejects the idea of Ukraine giving up territory.
Conversation lasted an hour
Due to the attack on Ukraine, the West has largely shut down high-level channels of communication with Moscow. Scholz has now initiated talks with Putin. The two last spoke on the phone on December 2, 2022. The last personal meeting was almost three years ago. It took place a week before the Russian attack on Ukraine in the Kremlin, where the two sat at a huge oval table meters apart because of corona.
After the invasion, there were still a few phone calls, but these then broke off. This was mainly due to the Russian conduct of the war and the lack of concrete results.
Almost 1,000 days of war with tens of thousands of deaths
On Tuesday, the Russian war of aggression with tens of thousands of dead on both sides will have lasted exactly 1,000 days. Germany is Ukraine's second most important arms supplier after the USA and has already sent tanks, artillery, air defense systems and other weapons and armaments worth billions of euros to the war zone. Scholz rejects Ukraine's request for long-range weapons such as the Taurus cruise missile because he sees this as a risk of escalation.
Scholz calls deployment of North Koreans a "serious escalation"
According to government sources, Scholz condemned the Russian airstrikes against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine in particular. He also made it clear that the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia for combat missions was associated with a "serious escalation and expansion of the conflict".
Scholz emphasized "Germany's unwavering determination" to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle. He emphasized that the support is geared towards the long term and that the Russian president cannot count on "time being on his side", it was said.
Putin blames Nato for the war
According to the Kremlin, Putin countered that the war was the result of years of aggressive NATO policy aimed at turning Ukraine into a deployment zone directed against Russia. The Russian president also noted an unprecedented deterioration in Russian-German relations - "as a result of the unfriendly course of the FRG authorities". At the same time, with regard to Russian energy supplies in the past, Putin said that Russia had always fulfilled its contracts and was ready to resume cooperation for mutual benefit.
Scholz and Putin now want to stay in contact
According to both sides, Scholz and Putin agreed to remain in contact. The Chancellor had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on the phone in preparation for the meeting. According to Hebestreit, the Chancellor wanted to call Selensky again afterwards.
Scholz is currently trying to organize a second Ukraine peace conference after a summit in Switzerland last summer, in which Russia could also participate. So far, however, there is no date in sight.
G20 summit likely to be the reason for the discussion
Scholz had repeatedly said in recent months that he was ready for talks with Putin. He just wanted to find the right time. The time that has now been chosen is likely to be linked to the upcoming G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which Scholz is leaving for on Sunday.
The G20 of the leading economic powers of all continents is the only discussion format in which Russia and the NATO states still sit at the same table at a high level. Scholz is not planning to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov there. However, according to sources close to him, he will discuss the Ukraine war with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is considered Putin's most important ally.
Putin and Selenskyj not present in Rio
Putin himself has canceled his participation in the summit so as not to "disrupt the normal work of the forum", which has other topics. An international arrest warrant has been issued against him by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. He would risk arrest in Brazil.
Ukraine is not part of the G20. Selenskyj was also not invited to Rio as a guest by the Brazilian hosts.
Kremlin sees nervousness in the West after Trump's victory
Following Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election, Russia once again signaled a fundamental willingness to engage in dialogue on Ukraine - including with Scholz. Moscow sees nervousness in the West with regard to Ukraine.
During the election campaign, Trump announced that he would end the war in Ukraine within a very short time by striking a deal with Russia. He did not give any details. Putin congratulated Trump on his election victory last week and showed himself to be open to dialog. At the same time, he emphasized that Trump was unpredictable and that it therefore remained to be seen what would follow his announcements.
©Keystone/SDA
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