Olaf Scholz spoke to the Russian president on Friday to discuss conditions for peace in Ukraine.
A first meeting in almost two years between the two leaders which goes badly on the kyiv side.
Volodymyr Zelensky accused Germany of playing into Vladimir Putin's hands.
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War in Ukraine: a never-ending conflict
Berlin renews ties with Moscow. And makes kyiv cringe. Almost two years after cutting diplomatic ties, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Vladimir Putin, in particular to discuss the conditions for peace in Ukraine. A discussion thatopen Pandora's box“, and fustigé Volodymyr Zelensky.
During the hour-long call, Olaf Scholz called on Russia to show its “willingness to begin negotiations with Ukraine with a view to a just and lasting peace“, according to the German government. The chancellor reaffirmed that Moscow must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and “end the war“, while recalling “determination“of Germany and the EU to support its ally”as long as necessary“.
kyiv wants to force Russia into peace
On the Kremlin side, we are sticking to our guns: Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed that any peace agreement should reflect the “new territorial realities“. This is the Russian position repeated for months. Russia is open to peace negotiations, but with “concessions” from kyiv: the cession of the Ukrainian territories that Moscow annexed in 2022 without fully controlling them. A condition considered unthinkable by kyiv.
If Olaf Scholz had warned Volodymyr Zelensky of his call to Vladimir Putin, the echoes of the discussion were received coldly by the Ukrainian president. The latter sees “an attempt at appeasement” towards Moscow at a time when the Ukrainians are losing ground on the front and fear losing the support of the United States, after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election. Talk to Vladimir Putin “open Pandora's box“, castigated Volodymyr Zelensky who fears being forced into negotiations unfavorable to Ukraine. “Conversations with the Russian dictator alone do not bring added value to achieving a just peace”castigated the spokesperson for Ukrainian diplomacy, Georgiy Tykhy, calling instead for “concrete and strong actions“to force Russia into peace.
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Since the Russian invasion, Germany has been the second largest supplier of military aid to kyiv, after the United States. But despite repeated requests from Volodymyr Zelensky, the chancellor has tirelessly refused to provide long-range Taurus missiles requested by kyiv to better defend itself. Olaf Scholz recently called for increased efforts to end the conflict diplomatically, in consultation with kyiv and that country's allies.
In mid-October, he judged the time had come “to do everything – in addition to clearly supporting Ukraine – to find a way to prevent this war from continuing.” “There will never be decisions taken over Ukraine's head, and never without consultation with our closest partners“, however, he assured.
