Scholz consulted with Zelenskyy earlier on talks with Putin, former Foreign Minister says

“A few months ago, Chancellor Scholz asked President Zelensky whether a call to Putin would be appropriate. Zelensky opposed the idea, and Scholz refrained,” Kuleba says.

However, as he notes, after the US election, Scholz decided that the time had come and did call the Russian president.

“Zelenskyy publicly but gently criticized him for it,” the former minister adds.

Kuleba also emphasizes that as a result of this call, Scholz did not significantly improve his image among German voters who sympathize with Russia. Nevertheless, Kuleba says, Putin broke out from European isolation thanks to the German chancellor's actions.

“Trust between Zelensky and Scholz has been strained. Keep in mind, Germany is Ukraine’s second-largest provider of military assistance after the US. Germany’s hard-won reputation among Ukrainians has taken a significant hit,” the former minister concludes.

At the same time, he notes that Putin was able to demonstrate to the world that his strategy was working.

“The West will eventually bow its head under the cover of urging him to stop the war which he is not going to do,” Kuleba adds.

Kuleba worked in the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for 4 years and was the youngest foreign minister. However, in September of this year, he submitted his resignation to the Ukrainian Parliament and was fired.

Scholz's call to Putin

Yesterday, the press service of the German Cabinet of Ministers confirmed Scholz's talks with Putin.

According to a statement from the German side, Scholz had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in advance and was supposed to call him after the talks with Putin.

Zelenskyy, for his part, said in an evening address that the chancellor's call to the Russian dictator was a Pandora's box. The president said that other conversations could follow, but emphasized that there would be no Minsk-3.