Putin reiterated demands, while Scholz called for troop withdrawal: what is known about the conversation between the leaders of Russia and Germany.

The first phone conversation between the Chancellor of Germany and Vladimir Putin

On November 15, 2024, the first phone call in two years took place between the Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and the 'president' of the aggressor country Vladimir Putin.

During the conversation, Vladimir Putin expressed traditional Kremlin rhetoric positions regarding Ukraine. In particular, he justified the military aggression against Ukraine by the 'long-standing aggressive policy of NATO' and insisted on taking into account the 'new territorial realities' for peace negotiations.

Berlin confirmed that Chancellor Scholz firmly condemned Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine during the conversation and insisted on the withdrawal of Russian troops as a prerequisite for negotiations.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who was warned in advance by Scholz about the planned call, expressed a critical stance on this initiative. According to a Sky News source in the Office of the President of Ukraine, Zelensky warned that such contact would 'help the Russian president, reducing his isolation, and ultimately prolong the war in Ukraine.'

After the conversation with Putin, the Chancellor of Germany held phone consultations with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. In his message on social media X, Tusk emphasized an important position: 'Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.'

Following the conversation, the Kremlin reported that the leaders' aides would remain in contact.