Scholz and Putin spoke on the phone about Ukraine, kyiv is outraged

On the occasion of their first call in almost two years, Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin reaffirmed their positions on the Ukrainian conflict this Friday, November 15: the German Chancellor called on Moscow to negotiate “a just peace” and the Russian president insisted on territorial concessions from kyiv. This exchange provoked the anger of Ukraine, which saw it as “an attempt at appeasement” towards Moscow.

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During this hour-long meeting, Olaf Scholz asked Russia to show its “willingness to begin negotiations with Ukraine with a view to a just and lasting peace”according to a press release from the German government. Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that any peace agreement should reflect the “new territorial realities”according to the Kremlin.

This is the Russian position repeated for months. Russia is open to peace negotiations, but with « concessions » on the part of kyiv: the cession of the Ukrainian territories that Moscow annexed in 2022 without fully controlling them. A condition deemed unthinkable by kyiv.

Kiev s’indigne

The chancellery clarified that Olaf Scholz had previously spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and that he would speak to him again after his meeting with the Russian president. “Conversations with the Russian dictator alone do not bring added value to achieving a just peace”castigated the spokesperson for Ukrainian diplomacy, Georgii Tykhy, calling instead for “concrete and strong actions” to force Russia into peace.

Washington, Paris and London knew of Olaf Scholz’s intention to call the Russian leader without the messages having been “coordinated”according to the entourage of French President Emmanuel Macron. Berlin “has ensured or will ensure” that its EU and NATO allies be informed of this exchange, the Chancellery is told.

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In a first comment this Friday, the head of the Polish government Donald Tusk welcomed that Olaf Scholz had told Vladimir Putin that “nothing about Ukraine” would not be done “without Ukraine”. The German Chancellor also reiterated to the Russian leader “determination” of Germany and the EU to support Ukraine “as long as necessary”.

The last call between the German and Russian leaders was on December 2, 2022, some 9 months after the start of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. According to the Kremlin, which called the exchange “frank and detailed”the call took place “at the initiative of the German side”.

Election campaign

Since the Russian invasion, Germany, Russia’s historic energy partner, is the second largest supplier of military aid to kyiv, after the United States. But despite repeated requests from Volodymyr Zelensky, Chancellor Scholz tirelessly refused to provide kyiv with the long-range Taurus missiles requested by kyiv to better defend itself.

This fear of an escalation with Moscow, regularly put forward by the German leader, also earns him criticism from some of his European allies who criticize him for his lack of determination. They add to concerns about a possible American disengagement from Ukraine after the election of Donald Trump to the White House, who had promised to resolve the Ukrainian conflict “in twenty-four hours”without ever detailing his plan.

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For his part, Olaf Scholz recently called for redoubled efforts to end the conflict diplomatically, in consultation with kyiv and this 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.

Military and financial support for kyiv and Germany’s defense policy will be one of the subjects of the electoral campaign which should lead the country to early legislative elections on February 23.