German Foreign Minister: Putin unwilling to discuss peace in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no readiness to discuss mediation on Ukraine with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. The statement comes ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Berlin, slated for Friday, October 11. Baerbock emphasized, "Ukraine is ready to establish a just peace,” highlighting the contrast in approaches to dialogue.
Speaking alongside Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár, Baerbock criticized Putin for rejecting peace talk initiatives. "He refuses to embrace peace, sending daily signals in favor of war and destruction. Today, he isn't even willing to discuss matters with the German Chancellor over the phone," she noted.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Scholz has indicated openness to dialogue with Putin.
In early October, the German newspaper Die Zeit, citing unnamed government sources, reported that Olaf Scholz was contemplating a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin. This discussion is anticipated ahead of the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil this November, though Berlin has not yet formally reached out to Moscow with a request, the publication noted.
"The Chancellor has repeatedly stated he would speak with Putin again when the right moment arises. As of now, I have no specifics on plans for such a conversation," said German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit on October 1.
In the Kremlin’s response, they clarified that Germany has yet to request a phone conversation with Putin. Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, affirmed that the Russian President "has always been and remains completely open to dialogue." As per Peskov, there have been no contacts between the two leaders since their last conversation in December 2022. Their last face-to-face talks occurred on February 15 of that same year, just ten days before Russia launched its full-scale aggression against Ukraine.