Germany Kremlin open to Ukraine talks - criticism of Scholz call

Following the first telephone call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in almost two years, the Russian government is open to further talks.

The conversation between the Chancellor and Putin - which was sharply criticized by the Ukrainian leadership - was open and detailed, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in Moscow. "There are quite deep differences of opinion," emphasized Peskov. Nevertheless, the resumption of the dialog was a "positive sign". Russia remains open to talks.

Scholz called Putin on Friday on his own initiative - for the first time since December 2022. He once again demanded a Russian troop withdrawal from Ukraine and a willingness to engage in peace negotiations. The Russian president, on the other hand, insisted that the causes of the war in Ukraine, which he cited, must be eliminated, the new territorial realities recognized and Moscow's security interests taken into account.

From the Russian perspective, this means that Ukraine should renounce its NATO membership, for example, as well as the territories annexed by Russia - Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia - and the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. The leadership in Kiev categorically rejects this.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the Foreign Ministry in Kiev confirmed information that Scholz had informed them in advance of the planned talks with Putin. However, they strongly criticized the phone call. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry explained that talks with the "dictator" Putin were not helpful in the efforts to achieve a just peace in Ukraine. Before his conversation with Putin, Scholz had also spoken to Selenskyj.

Selenskyj: Scholz call to Putin "opens Pandora's box"

"In my opinion, Olaf's call opens Pandora's box," emphasized Zelensky in his evening video message. This would only make further talks possible. With his call, Scholz had fulfilled Putin's long-cherished wish to reduce Russia's isolation and start talks that would lead nowhere. Putin had been doing this for decades, said Selensky. "This has allowed Russia to change nothing in its policy, to basically do nothing, and that is what led to this war."

At the same time, Zelensky reiterated that the war should not be frozen with ceasefire agreements, as was the case between 2014 and 2022. "We know what needs to be done and we warn: there will be no "Minsk 3", we need a real peace." He was referring to the peace agreements for eastern Ukraine brokered by Germany and France in 2014 and 2015, which were named after the Belarusian capital Minsk.

Russia's foreign minister: waiting for Trump's proposals

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Moscow is now waiting for the proposals announced by US President-elect Donald Trump to end the war. So far, Russia cannot imagine how Trump intends to implement his announcement to end the war within 24 hours. "We regularly emphasize that a politician who says that he is not for war, but for peace, definitely deserves attention," said Lavrov.

Like Zelenskyi, the Kremlin had spoken out against a new freeze in the conflict. The Russian leadership repeatedly emphasizes that a lasting solution must be found.

Zelensky expects a quicker end to the war with Trump

Zelenskyi told the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne that he expects the war to end more quickly once the Trump administration takes office. "That is their approach, their promise to society. And it's also very important for them," said Selenskyj in a pre-released excerpt of the interview, which is to be broadcast in full this Saturday. Trump had spoken to Zelensky after his victory in the presidential election on November 5, but according to the Kremlin, he has not yet had a conversation with Putin.

Putin had publicly congratulated Trump on his victory in the election and expressed his openness to resuming contact. The Kremlin has also stated several times that Moscow is also expecting a call from Trump and is open to a dialog on ending the war.

Russia launched the war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, bringing death and destruction to the neighboring country. Russian troops currently have the initiative in eastern Ukraine and are reporting the capture of towns and villages on a daily basis. The world's largest country in terms of territory now occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine.

G20 summit likely to be the reason for the talks

Scholz has repeatedly said in recent months that he is willing to talk to Putin. He just wanted to find the right time. The date now chosen for the phone call is likely to be linked to the upcoming G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which Scholz will attend on Sunday.

The G20 group of leading economic powers from all continents is the only discussion format in which Russia and the NATO states still sit at the same table with high-ranking representatives. Scholz is not planning to meet Minister Lavrov there, but according to sources close to him, he will discuss the Ukraine war with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is considered Putin's most important ally.

Putin and Selenskyj not present in Rio

Putin himself has canceled his participation in the summit so as not to "disrupt the normal work of the forum", which has other topics. An international arrest warrant has been issued against him by the International Criminal Court in The Hague because he is accused of war crimes in Ukraine. Putin would therefore risk arrest in Brazil.

Ukraine is not a member of the G20. Selensky was also not invited to Rio as a guest by the Brazilian hosts.

SDA