Germany reacts to Putin's statement on readiness to negotiate with Merz
Germany has taken note of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's statement about his readiness to hold a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This was announced at a briefing by German Federal Government spokesman Stefan Cornelius, according to a correspondent of Ukrinform.
According to him, the government has "taken note" of Putin's statement that he is ready for talks with the chancellor. At the same time, Cornelius added that "there is no direct contact".
In addition, Berlin is convinced that Putin himself does not want substantive negotiations.
The spokesperson emphasized that the German government is constantly, comprehensively and intensively assessing the situation in Ukraine and is in discussions with its allies on how to stop Russia's aggressive war.
"Of course, the German government has constantly stated its urgent desire to bring this war to a political end. I do not see the Russian president [dictator] responding to these frequently expressed wishes for a political solution," Cornelius said.
On June 18, at a meeting with representatives of international news agencies in St. Petersburg, Putin said he was open to contacts with the German chancellor. According to him, he will not refuse a telephone conversation if Merz wants to talk.
- The previous German Chancellor Scholz repeatedly called Putin. The last such conversation took place in November 2024.
- At the time, Zelenskyy said that the chancellor's call to the dictator was a "Pandora's box". This conversation is exactly what Putin has been wanting for a long time, as it is extremely important for him to weaken the isolation of himself and Russia, the Ukrainian leader said.