Scholz consulted Zelenskyy several months ago about call to Putin – former Ukrainian foreign minister
Former Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz consulted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy several months ago about a possible call to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.
Source: Kuleba on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda
Details: According to the former foreign minister, Scholz asked Zelenskyy several months ago whether a call to Putin would be appropriate.
"Zelensky opposed the idea, and Scholz refrained," he said.
However, Kuleba said, after the US election, Scholz decided to call the Kremlin leader despite Zelenskyy's previous objections concerning the advisability of negotiations with Putin.
"Zelensky publicly but gently criticised him for it," he said.
Kuleba believes the German chancellor's decision has several implications, including the fact that Putin has "broken out of European isolation, and Germany paved the way. Right after Hungary."
"Putin showcased to the world that his strategy is 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," he said.
Kuleba also pointed out that by doing this, Scholz has damaged Germany's reputation among Ukrainians.
The former minister is also confident that the German chancellor's decision will not strengthen his image among German voters.
Kuleba admitted that he may not know "all the arguments in favour of the call", but he "struggles to see how it was justified".
Background:
- On 15 November, it was revealed that Olaf Scholz had spoken with the Kremlin leader for the first time in two years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Scholz’s call with Putin as a "Pandora’s box".
- Jürgen Hardt, a member of the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) opposition bloc in Germany, believes that Putin will see Scholz's move as "a sign of weakness, not strength".
- However, Matthias Miersch, Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), defended the chancellor's decision.
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