German Chancellor Scholz explains why he called Putin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that speaking with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is essential to clearly communicate a firm position on the war in Ukraine. He made this comment during a briefing in Kyiv, referencing a recent phone call with the Russian leader.

"How do you talk to someone who started a war? The answer is simple: with a firm stance, clear words, and facts about what we will do," Scholz said.

The German chancellor reminded that he had spoken with Putin in Moscow before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"It was a long conversation. We disagreed on many points. From what I understand, the decision to start this war was made two years before it began, and everything after that was aimed at implementing it. That was my experience in 2022," he said.

During his discussions with Putin, including the recent call, Scholz reiterated Ukraine's right to be an independent, sovereign state that has chosen to align with the European Union.

"Ukraine has its army, its Armed Forces, and can achieve full independence. This means Russia must end the war and withdraw its troops. I conveyed this clearly to him," Scholz said.

According to Scholz, Putin responded with the same narratives propagated by Russian state media.

"We differ on these issues, but it is crucial to make our stance clear, and I did so. As I said here as well, we will not weaken our support for Ukraine. Ukrainians can rely on us, and the Russian dictator should not expect Ukraine to face this struggle alone," he said.

Scholz emphasized Germany's readiness to support Ukraine as long as necessary and to the extent required.

"In the current situation, this is an especially important message," he added.