Scholz gets on the phone with Putin for the first time in two years to hear the peace plan that Ukraine already rejected in June

The chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholzand the president of Russia, Vladimir Putinspoke by phone this Friday for the first time since December 2022. The fundamental issue has been the war in Ukraine, the same one that broke the close relationship between the two in February of that year, and the head of the Kremlin has raised two issues: that the initiative for the call came from Berlin, the opposite of what the Germans say, and that their position is the same as in June. It consists of an immediate withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from their own territories in the east and south of the territory, and an explicit renunciation of joining NATO.

In kyiv, the answer is always the same. None of these conditions are acceptable, and the situation does not exist for them to agree to sit at a negotiating table with a Putin who already uses thousands of North Korean soldiers to advance his imperialist plans. The reaction ofthe ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskywith whom the German spoke two days ago, was to be expected. He has criticized very harshly that his ally has agreed to this call, accusing him of opening “Pandora’s box.”

“Now there can be other conversations, other calls, many words,” he added. “And that is exactly what Putin has wanted for a long time: it is very important for him to reduce his isolation.”

This Friday, Berlin’s response to Moscow followed the usual line: peace for Ukraine has to be “just and lasting.” Scholz has once again condemned the Russian war of aggression, which has been causing death, suffering and destruction in Ukraine for almost a thousand days. The German Chancellor has condemned, in particular, the air attacks against civilian infrastructure and has stressed that the involvement of men of Kim Jong-un On the ground it is a serious escalation that triggers the risk of an expansion of the conflict.

The social democratic politician, who currently heads a minority government in Germany, has conveyed – according to his version – that support for Ukraine is long-term and that time is not on Russia’s side. Of course, Scholz is not going through his best moment. It will neither have a budget for 2025 nor a stable Government after the breakdown of its coalition. The elections will be next February 23. Some analysts point out that, in the event of a turn to the right, which is very likely, the new government will have more initiative in supporting the Ukrainian cause. It could even change its position on the shipment and use of the long-range Taurus missiles that the Ukrainians have been demanding for months.

Perhaps the most important thing is, as the Pole expressed Donald Tusk after speaking with Scholz, that Germany has insisted that it will not decide nothing about Ukraine without Ukrainesomething that did happen in the past.

What the Kremlin explains, for its part, is that the conversation between the two has been “detailed and frank.” He has also resorted to the classics: “Putin recalled that the current crisis is a direct result of NATO’s aggressive policy for many years, aimed at creating an anti-Russian platform on Ukrainian territory that ignored the interests of our country in the field of security. and trampled on the rights of Russian speakers.

The situation on the front, meanwhile, is particularly delicate. The Russians are gaining ground in the east, but at a very high price. Ukraine is recruiting more troops to contain them and looks askance at the decision it makes donald trump when he arrives at the White House in January. The Republican has has been reluctant to continue providing weapons to kyiv during the campaign, but many advisors try to influence the president-elect to warn him that letting his ally fall would be very costly.