Olaf Scholz Defends Putin Name, Admits It is ‘Not Good Information’

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has defended his latest telephone name to Vladimir Putin, however admitted what the Russian president needed to say was not “excellent news”.

The 2 leaders spoke for an hour for the primary time in nearly two years on Friday, the place Scholz tried to encourage the Russian president to finish the struggle in Ukraine.

Chatting with reporters on Sunday, Scholz stated: “It was necessary to inform [Putin] that he can not depend on assist from Germany, Europe and plenty of others on the earth waning.

“The dialog was very detailed however continued to a recognition that little has modified within the Russian president’s views – and that’s not excellent news.”

His defence got here after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed their dialog.

He stated it had opened a “Pandora’s field”, including: “Now there could also be different conversations, different calls. Simply lots of phrases,

“And that is precisely what Putin has lengthy wished: This can be very necessary for him to weaken his isolation.”

In line with the Russian state information company TASS, Scholz additionally stated: “I don’t assume that it will likely be a good suggestion to organise talks between the American and Russian president quickly whereas the top of presidency of one in every of European’s main international locations doesn’t have interaction in talks.

“Some individuals in Germany assume it proper however I’m not amongst them.”

The chancellor has to cope with stress from each the left and proper inside Germany proper now, all of whom are pushing for extra diplomatic talks to finish the European struggle forward of snap elections in three months’ time.

Nonetheless, Scholz claimed to reporters that he had requested to talk to Putin “many occasions” previously.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov provided far much less info on their alternate than Scholz.

He solely instructed reporters: “So far as I do know it was fairly a businesslike dialog, detailed and fairly frank, as the perimeters laid out their positions mutually.”

The leaders’ dialog comes because the struggle approaches its three-year mark.

Lower than 48 hours after the leaders’ dialog, Russia launched an enormous missile assault on Ukraine and its power infrastructure, with missiles reaching to the nation’s most western factors.

Moscow additionally alleged Putin had instructed the German chancellor that any settlement to finish the struggle wanted to replicate “new territorial realities” and acknowledge Russia’s safety calls for akin to ensuring Ukraine doesn’t be part of Nato.

In a press release after the decision, the German authorities stated: “The federal chancellor urged Russia’s willingness to barter with Ukraine with the intention of attaining a simply and lasting peace and emphasised Germany’s unwavering dedication to maintain Ukraine within the peace course of.”

The decision, the primary between the 2 since December 2022, reportedly lasted round an hour.

The leaders supposedly agreed communication would proceed between their aides.

He added that there will likely be “no new Minsk Settlement”, referring to the ceasefire offers between Ukraine and Russia struck in 2014 and 2015.

Scholz and Putin’s dialog got here shortly after Donald Trump gained a second time period within the White Home.

The Republican has repeatedly stated he would finish the struggle in Ukraine inside 24 hours of being inaugurated in January, however has not specified how he intends to take action.

It has sparked fears that Trump would push Kyiv to cede occupied land to Russia.