ISW experts analyze the phone call from Scholz and Putin - and speak of manipulation

Created: 03/12/2022, 14:52

By: Helmi Krappitz

Military experts analyze Scholz and Putin's phone call.

Russia is trying to manipulate the West and profit from the West's desire for negotiations.

Washington - After a one-hour phone call between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin on Friday, experts from the "Institute for the Study of War" (ISW) analyzed the last talks in the Ukraine war.

Writing in an attempt to manipulate the West, the experts write: “Russia is trying to capitalize on the West's desire for negotiations to create a dynamic in which Western officials are forced to make pre-emptive concessions to lure Russia to the to lure the negotiating table.”

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Scholz-Putin phone call: Putin calls for a review of Germany's position on Ukraine

According to the ISW, Putin falsely claimed in the phone call that the West was responsible for the refusal to hold talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

By providing financial and military aid to Ukraine, the Ukrainian government rejects such negotiations.

Putin asked Scholz to reconsider Germany's approach to the Ukraine war.

Scholz corrected the Russian president, stating that any diplomatic solution must include the withdrawal of Russian forces.

US President Joe Biden also said on Thursday that negotiations would only be possible once the Kremlin chief withdrew his troops from Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov made it clear that the Russian military would not be withdrawn, according to ISW.

The "special military operation", as Putin justified the war, will continue.

Russia continues to demand recognition of Russia's annexed territories in Ukraine, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did at the pre-invasion OSCE meeting in February.

Vladimir Putin phoned Olaf Scholz.

The ISW experts analyzed the conversation.

© IMAGO/Alexey Maishev

Putin's rhetoric: no interest in negotiations

There is no real interest in negotiations on the part of Russia, the ISW had analyzed in advance based on Putin's rhetoric.

The aim is to create the impression among Western officials that Russia needs to be lured into negotiations.

Accordingly, Russia is trying to get preemptive concessions from the West without demanding concessions from Russia in return.

The statements by Putin, Peskov and Lavrov show what concessions Russia expects from the West: reduced Western aid to Ukraine, recognition of the annexed territories and restrictions on NATO and Western military action in Europe.

In addition, the ISW mentions that Russian statements on negotiations are vague in order to clearly define the goals of the negotiations as a ceasefire,

Agreement: Putin against ceasefire

Russia would benefit from a temporary deal and ceasefire, the ISW said.

In this way, Russia could strengthen its armed forces for military operations in the spring.

However, Putin shows no interest in such a ceasefire and continues to call for full surrender.