Scholz and Putin are talking to each other again
Created: 05/13/2022, 13:15
According to information from Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chancellor Olaf Scholz have called each other again.
© ---Kay Nietfeld/dpa/AP/sputnik/dpa
For a long time after the Butscha massacre, Chancellor Scholz saw no point in speaking to President Putin.
Now he breaks the silence.
Berlin – After more than six weeks of radio silence, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) called Russian President Vladimir Putin again.
The talks took place on a German initiative, the Kremlin announced on Friday in Moscow.
There was initially no information from the German side.
The war must end
Scholz had already announced the initiative in the morning in the Bundestag's defense committee.
"Of course, at some point you have to come to the point that there must be diplomatic initiatives again," said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, explaining the Chancellor's initiative.
The aim is "to find a way out of this terrible war with terrible numbers of victims, a lot of destruction and also all the futility that war brings with it".
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After the start of the war in Ukraine, Scholz called Putin several times, most recently on March 30.
A few days later, the massacre in the Kiev suburb of Bucha became known, after which there was initially no further contact.
In a “Stern” interview published last week, Scholz said: “If there is anything to discuss, I will get in touch again.
Our priority is clear: the acts of war must end immediately.”
French President Emmanuel Macron had also stopped talking to Putin on the phone in the meantime, but picked up the phone again on May 3rd.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres even visited Putin in Moscow in order to achieve a de-escalation in the Ukraine war.
One focus was on humanitarian aspects
The Kremlin said of the Russian President's talks with Scholz that Putin had "detailedly informed" about Russia's goals in Ukraine.
One focus of the conversation was on humanitarian aspects.
It had been agreed that the discussion should continue "through different channels".
Putin also pointed out to Scholz "gross violations of the norms of international law by fighters who profess Nazi ideology".
Russia repeatedly justifies its war of aggression against the neighboring country, which it began on February 24, with an alleged “denazification” of Ukraine, among other things.
Experts classify this as a mere pretext for Moscow's aggression.
dpa