German Chancellor's Phone Conversation with Putin After Two Years; Kyiv Expresses Discontent

In his first phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin after nearly two years, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged him to end the war against Ukraine and negotiate with Kyiv for a fair and lasting peace. Scholz's office announced that the call took place on Friday, November 25. According to the report, in his one-hour conversation with Putin, Scholz asked him to end the nearly three-year military invasion by withdrawing Russian forces from Ukrainian territory. He also emphasized Berlin's continued support for Ukraine against Moscow's military aggression and encouraged the Russian president to engage in dialogue with Kyiv. Zelensky stated that surrendering to Putin would be tantamount to 'suicide' for Europe. The conversation between the German and Russian leaders occurred just four days before the thousandth day of Moscow's military invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin also emphasized that the call was made at Germany's request, stating that the dialogue included 'a precise and frank exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine.' The statement also reiterated Moscow's previous claims, including attributing the cause of the war to NATO's 'long-term aggressive policy,' and emphasized that any potential agreement must consider Russia's security interests along with 'new territorial realities.' The statement also stressed the need to eliminate the 'roots of the conflict' and set aside the issue of Ukraine's NATO membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Scholz's call with Putin, calling it 'opening Pandora's box,' suggesting it could lead to numerous subsequent problems. He stated that such calls would 'only reduce Russia's isolation,' which is precisely what Putin has long desired. Zelensky also warned that this call could be the beginning of further communications from other Western leaders that would consist of 'hollow and meaningless words.' However, Scholz's office stated that he had spoken with Zelensky prior to this call and is scheduled to talk with him again. Meanwhile, Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland and a key ally of Ukraine, expressed satisfaction with the content of the phone conversation between the German and Russian leaders. Reuters reported that during his call with Putin, Scholz also warned about the detrimental impact of the Kremlin's use of North Korean soldiers in the war against Ukraine. The phone call between the German and Russian leaders took place amid much speculation about the new Trump administration's approach to the war in Ukraine. Mr. Trump has repeatedly stated without details that he could quickly end this war. In recent weeks, some of Trump's advisors and close associates have indicated that his focus would be on 'establishing peace' rather than 'regaining lost territories,' a topic that has faced outright opposition from Ukraine. The call on Friday also occurred while Scholz is grappling with a political crisis in his country, as the German parliament, Bundestag, is set to hold a confidence vote for his government next month, followed by early general elections in the country.