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Deeply unpopular German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, facing mounting pressure within his own party, took a controversial step by holding his first phone call in over two years with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As expected, the move drew sharp criticism from Kiev, where any hint of negotiating with Putin is still viewed as betrayal.
“President Volodymyr Zelensky said the German chancellor’s phone call with Russia’s leader on Friday opened a ‘Pandora’s box’ that undermined efforts to isolate Vladimir Putin and end the war in Ukraine with a ‘fair peace.’”
A spokesperson for Scholz stated that during the call, the German leader urged Putin to engage in peace talks with Ukraine and pursue a “just and lasting peace.”
Zelensky was quick to condemn the call:
“Olaf’s call, in my opinion, is a Pandora’s box. Now there may be other conversations, other calls. This is exactly what Putin has long wanted: it is extremely important for him to weaken his isolation and to conduct ordinary negotiations that will not end in anything.”
Zelensky maintains that Russia has no intention of negotiating in good faith and demands robust security guarantees before considering any ceasefire. He argued that past negotiations allowed Moscow to further its agenda.
“This gave Russia the opportunity not to change anything in its policy, not to do anything in essence, and this is exactly what led to this war,” Zelensky said in his evening address.
While Germany is a key financial backer and the second-largest weapons supplier to Ukraine after the United States, Zelensky remains dissatisfied. He particularly criticized Berlin’s reluctance to provide long-range Taurus cruise missiles.
During the one-hour conversation, Scholz reportedly demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and reiterated Germany’s continued support for Kiev. However, the Kremlin stated that Putin emphasized the importance of reflecting “new territorial realities” in any agreement and addressing Russia’s security concerns. The Kremlin described the call as “extremely positive.”
Zelensky, aware of the planned call, had cautioned Scholz against engaging with Putin. For Moscow, the terms remain unchanged: Ukraine must abandon its NATO aspirations and cede the four regions Russia claims to have annexed following referendums. Kiev has categorically rejected these demands, arguing that they amount to capitulation.
