European Politics > Unexpected wisdom and courage from Germany's Scholz

 

Not talking with Putin ‘absurd’

– Germany’s Scholz

Nevertheless, it has been two years since anyone in the American State Dept. has talked to Putin or Yavrov... As the doomsday clock counts down the seconds to midnight.

The Chancellor has defended last month’s phone conversation with the Russian president

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in the questioning of the Federal Government in the plenary chamber of the Bundestag in Berlin on December 4, 2024. ©  Kay Nietfeld/Getty Images

It would be absurd not to communicate with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine conflict, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said. Germany and other EU states would be consigning themselves to irrelevance if they failed to do so, he told lawmakers in Berlin.

Scholz held a phone conversation with Putin in mid-November, which was their first in almost two years. The German head of government urged the Kremlin to withdraw its troops from territories claimed by Ukraine, reiterating his determination to support Kiev for “as long as necessary.” The Russian president, in turn, attributed the escalation of hostilities in 2022 to NATO’s “long-standing aggressive policy aimed at creating an anti-Russian bridgehead on Ukrainian territory.”

According to a readout published by the Kremlin, Putin also expressed readiness to engage in talks with Ukraine, stressing, however, that new territorial realities should be taken into account and the “root causes of the conflict” eliminated.

During a Q&A session in the German parliament on Wednesday, an opposition MP from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) voiced skepticism over last month’s call. Scholz responded by stating: “Everybody knows that it would be absurd and a sign of unbelievable political weakness, if we in Germany and in Europe now waited for others to conduct these phone conversations, and we sort of commented on the news shown on TV.”

Scholz further insisted that Western European nations must talk to Moscow, despite a difference of opinion.

This is definately not NATO devised narrative. The last thing they want is to talk to Moscow and accidentally have peace break out. Not good for profits for the West's War Industry storefront.

READ MORE: Germany’s Scholz warns of ‘Russian roulette’ over Ukraine

Previously commenting on the conversation, the German chancellor similarly dismissed criticisms that his outreach could undermine Western unity, arguing that diplomatic channels should remain open and saying that he expected to talk to Putin again.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has criticized the phone call between Scholz and Putin, claiming that it could weaken the Kremlin’s “isolation.”

Putin said in late November that “there was nothing unusual” about his call with Scholz, with both officials laying out their positions on the Ukraine conflict.

The Russian president added that some other Western leaders were “willing to resume” dialogue, stressing that he remained open to such overtures.

The phone conversation between Scholz and Putin received mixed reactions in the West.

In a post on X, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk claimed that “no-one will stop Putin with phone calls.”

PM Tusk still thinks the Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine and a threat to all of Europe. NATO is the aggressor and the only threat Russia is to Europe comes from their assistance in NATO's aggression.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized the importance of maintaining a “level of engagement with counterparts who in many cases we disagree with.”

Now that's an unusually astute observation by Trudeau. Might be the smartest thing he has said in 9 years.

Not talking to Putin is an example of today's cancel culture. It''s extremely immature and really stupid.

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