German Chancellor Justifies Communication with Moscow.. Amid Kyiv's Criticism

German Chancellor Justifies Communication with Moscow.. Amid Kyiv's Criticism
Zelenskyy's absence from G20 and Scholz's contact with Putin reveal potential shifts in the diplomatic landscape regarding the Ukrainian crisis
November 17, 2024, 8:08 pm

شولتس وبوتين \ متداول

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz explained the reasons for his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the eve of his participation in the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Scholz emphasized in press statements before leaving Berlin: "It was important to tell him also that he should not expect Germany, Europe, and many other countries in the world to reduce their support for Ukraine."

The German news agency quoted Scholz confirming that he told Putin "it's now up to him to work on ending the war." The German Chancellor added that the long-planned conversation was detailed, revealing that it showed "the Russian President's views on the war haven't changed much, and this isn't good news."

The German official stressed the necessity of delivering a clear message that "Ukraine can rely on us, and we will continue our approach of not making any decisions that bypass the Ukrainians."

Scholz dismissed the idea of "holding talks between the American and Russian presidents without the participation of an important European state's head of government in the discussions as well."

The newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump had previously pledged during his campaign to quickly end the Ukrainian conflict through negotiations with Russia.

Friday's phone call was initiated by the German Chancellor, marking the first direct communication between the two sides since December 2022. During the call, Scholz renewed demands for Moscow to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and engage in peace negotiations.

Putin insisted on addressing what he considered the causes of the conflict, recognizing regional changes, and considering Russian security interests. The call faced opposition from several figures, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who compared it to opening "Pandora's box."

Scholz plans to spend three days in Rio participating in G20 discussions on poverty reduction, climate protection, and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

He expressed disappointment about Zelenskyy not being invited, unlike previous meetings, explaining: "I made intensive efforts for that, as did others, but it didn't happen."

It's worth noting that Ukraine is not a G20 member, and host Brazil did not extend an invitation to Zelenskyy to attend the summit as a guest.

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