Scholz told us under what condition he will talk to Putin

 The last time Scholz and Putin called was in December 2022. According to the German Chancellor, he is ready to resume dialogue, but only when Putin changes his policy on Ukraine. Moscow insists on fulfilling all the goals of the special operation.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will resume negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but only when he realizes the need to stop hostilities and withdraw troops from Ukraine. Scholz himself told about this in an interview with Tageszeitung.

He recalled that the last time he called Putin was in December 2022. Responding to a question about the reasons for the termination of the dialogue, the Chancellor pointed out that such conversations can be useful only when "you feel that you can change the situation."

"In the past, I had several conversations with Putin, which were sometimes perceived critically. And I do not rule out further discussions in the future. <...> In any case, [it will happen] when Russia realizes that there will be no imposed peace [in Ukraine], and Putin will understand that he will have to abandon his campaign and withdraw troops," Scholz said.

The last time the parties reported about the conversation between Scholz and Putin was in December 2022. The Russian president then spoke about the reasons for Moscow's strikes on targets in Ukraine, linking them to the explosion on the Crimean Bridge. The German Chancellor called on him to find a diplomatic way out of the situation. Last June, Scholz stated the need to continue negotiations with Putin and announced plans to call him for the first time in a long time. Their conversation has not been officially reported since then.

The German Chancellor had previously expressed confidence that Putin had "fundamentally miscalculated" in his vision of the structure of European countries and underestimated the unity of Europe and the West. In addition, he compared the policy of modern Russia with the "imperial approach" of the 17th-19th centuries, when a stronger state considers its neighbors only as "its rear, which needs to impose its own rules". "It can never be accepted," Scholz said.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that the goals of the special operation will be fulfilled, and also excluded any peace initiatives without "recognition of realities on earth." Putin expressed his readiness to resume dialogue with Kiev, but pointed out that he was blocked by the law of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky banning negotiations.