Scholz and Putin break silence: Two‑hour call over Ukraine
This afternoon, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, confirmed the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government. German media emphasised that this was the first conversation between the leaders in two years.
The conversation between Scholz and Putin took place early Friday afternoon. Federal government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit stated that the chancellor had previously spoken on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- The chancellor condemned the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and called on President Putin to end it and withdraw troops - said the government spokesperson in a statement. He added that Scholz emphasised "Germany's unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression for as long as necessary."
According to dpa information, the phone call lasted two hours.
The German chancellor had announced the conversation with the Russian leader a few days earlier. - Yes, I plan to speak at the appropriate time with the President of Russia - he said this past Sunday on ARD television. - I am a responsible politician and do not intend to do this alone, on my own - assured Scholz, adding that the situation must also be discussed with Ukraine.
The last Scholz-Putin conversation took place in 2022
As DPA reminded us, Scholz indicated readiness to talk with Putin about a just peace in Ukraine already in mid-October.
The last time the German chancellor spoke on the phone with Putin was in December 2022. At that time, he demanded a diplomatic resolution to the conflict and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
