German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Signals Willingness To Talk To Putin On Ukraine Conflict

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed readiness to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to achieve a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, ending months of no communication.

Scholz Open to Dialogue with Conditions

Scholz, addressing the German Parliament on Wednesday, confirmed his openness to talks but stressed that any negotiations would not bypass Ukraine or happen without consulting Germany’s key allies. His last conversation with Putin took place in December 2022. Scholz also called for a new peace summit on Ukraine, including Russia, after a similar summit in Switzerland in June ended inconclusively.

Kremlin Denies Contact from Berlin

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that no proposals for talks had been received from Berlin. He emphasized that Putin remains open to contact but noted that ties between Germany and Russia have been significantly reduced. Russian officials also dismissed reports that Scholz sought a phone call with Putin before the G20 summit in November.