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Olaf Scholz: "It is absolutely necessary to talk to Putin"

2022-06-17T19:28:06.967Z


Ukrainian President Zelenskyj thinks it is wrong for the Chancellor to keep a channel open to Kremlin boss Putin. Olaf Scholz has now defended this course again.


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Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD)

Photo: Filip Singer / EPA

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has defended direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announced more.

"It is absolutely necessary to speak to Putin," Scholz said in a TV interview conducted in English by the German Press Agency: "I will continue to do so, as will the French President." It is necessary that some countries and some leaders are speaking to Putin, Scholz said.

It is also important that these discussions are conducted openly.

"For example, I say the same things that I tell you," said Scholz in the interview about the Kremlin chief, "please understand that there will be no dictated peace.

And if you think you can steal land and then hope that times will change and things will go back to normal, then you are wrong.”

He also calls on Putin to withdraw his troops from Ukraine and reach an agreement with Ukraine that is acceptable and right for Ukraine, Scholz said.

Scholz had already defended his talks with Putin during a trip to Lithuania last week.

After the war began, the chancellor called Putin several times, but took a break of several weeks after the massacre of civilians in Ukraine became known.

Macron has also called Putin several times.

French President Emmanuel Macron also said in an interview on Thursday that he was ready to meet Putin in Moscow under certain conditions.

"I think that a trip to Russia today requires prerequisites, that is, gestures from President Putin, I will not go there just like that," Macron said.

atb/dpa

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-06-17

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