.jpg "Thủ tướng Đức Olaf Scholz từ chối cung cấp tên lửa Taurus cho Ukraine")
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The German chancellor and Russian president spoke directly for the first time since late 2022. The incident took place shortly after Mr. Trump's victory in the US presidential election.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin had their first phone call since December 2022 for about an hour on November 15, Deutsche Welle International Radio (Germany) quoted German Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit as saying.
According to the spokesman, Chancellor Scholz urged the Russian leader to enter negotiations to achieve a "fair and lasting" peace with Ukraine.
Mr. Scholz also “underlined Germany's unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine in its defense for as long as necessary” and noted to President Putin that for this reason, Moscow cannot assume that time is on its side.
For his part, according to Reuters, President Putin told Chancellor Scholz that Russia is ready to consider energy deals if Berlin is interested. The Kremlin statement said: "Russia has always strictly fulfilled its obligations under treaties and contracts in the energy sector and is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation if the German side is interested in this issue."
The Kremlin also confirmed that the Russian and German leaders had a "detailed and frank exchange of views" on the conflict in Ukraine, and that President Putin reiterated a position he has been stating for months: any peace deal must address Moscow's security interests and be based on "new territorial realities".
According to Mr Putin, the conflict in Ukraine could end if Kiev abandoned its NATO ambitions and recognized four regions claimed by Russia. Ukraine has rejected those conditions.
During the phone call, Mr. Putin also spoke about the "unprecedented deterioration" in relations between Russia and Germany and blamed Berlin's unfriendly actions, the Kremlin statement said.
The call came 10 days after the announcement of Mr Trump's election victory in the US, potentially signaling a change in stance in Washington, and just over a week after news that Chancellor Scholz could soon leave her post.
A source in the Ukrainian president's office said President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to Chancellor Scholz before the German leader's phone call with the Russian president. During the call, President Zelensky warned Chancellor Scholz that calling Putin would weaken Russia's isolation and lead to "prolonging the war."
Speaking to Ukraine's Suspilne television, Mr Zelensky stressed that the conflict would "end sooner" under the Trump administration.
