Scholz wants to call Putin first time in two years
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin (RBC-Ukraine collage)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to hold telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the G20 summit in Brazil in November. It will be the first contact between them in almost two years, reports Die Zeit.
The next Group of 20 (G20) summit will take place in Brazil on November 18-19.
According to the media, there has been no request for negotiations so far. Scholz may become the first head of government from the countries that support Ukraine the most to resume direct contact with the Russian leader.
The last telephone talks between Scholz and Putin took place in December 2022.
US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also spoke directly with Putin for the last time in 2022.
According to German federal government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, Scholz will not hesitate to have a phone conversation with Putin if he deems the moment appropriate.
At the end of 2023, the chancellor said that he was ready to negotiate with the Russian leader, but on the condition that his occupation forces withdraw from the territory of Ukraine.
