German leader's unexpected Putin call raises questions about European diplomacy
Scholz had his first talk with Putin in about 2 years‚ defending his choice despite criticism. The hour-long chat showed no changes in Putins thinking while Western-Moscow contacts seem to increase
Olaf Scholz spoke with Putin on nov-17 in an hour-long phone-call that showed no progress in changing Moscowʼs war position. The german chancellor hasnt talked to Putin since early-23‚ making this sudden contact a topic of heated discussions
Critics including Volodymyr Zelenskiy see this move as politically-driven (considering upcoming feb-25 snap elections) but Scholz stands firm on his decision: “We must tell him that support for Ukraine wont decrease‚“ he explained to reporters. The chat proved that Putinʼs views remain unchanged — which brings bad news for peace hopes
Western-Moscow contacts show signs of growth: Antonio Guterres went to a BRICS meet-up in Russia; Sergei Lavrov plans to join an EU security talk in Malta this dec. Donald Trumpʼs recent cabinet picks suggest a softer approach to Moscow; their views differ from previous team members
The German leader thinks Europe needs its own voice in global talks: “Its not right if American and Russian presidents meet while key European figures stay silent‚“ he said. This statement shows his worry about EUʼs role in future peace talks
