Ukraine’s Zelensky says Scholz-Putin phone call opens ‘Pandora’s box’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz over a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it has opened a “Pandora’s box”.

During a phone call on Friday, Scholz and Putin discussed bilateral relations between Moscow and Berlin, the war in Ukraine, and the issues in West Asia. The two had had their last phone call almost two years ago. 

Ukrainian media, citing an undisclosed Presidential Office source, said Zelensky criticized Scholz over his initiative, describing the call to Putin as opening a “Pandora’s box”.

He claimed the German leader’s phone call to his Russian counterpart will only make Putin feel less isolated.

Putin open to contacts with Germany’s Scholz: Kremlin

“Putin has been and remains open to contacts,” the Kremlin says.

The conversation would “make Putin feel that the isolation is decreasing,” Zelensky told Scholz.

“It is extremely important for Putin to loosen his isolation, Russia’s isolation, and to conduct ordinary negotiations that will not result in anything, as he has been doing for decades,” Zelensky said.

“This has allowed Russia to change nothing in its policies, to do nothing in essence, and this is exactly what led to this war,” Zelensky added.

In the meantime, the German chancellor, during the phone call, urged the Russian leader to get peace negotiations with Kiev underway.

“Russia must show a willingness to negotiate with Ukraine - with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace,” Scholz reiterated in a post on X following the call.

⚡️ Scholz asked Putin to withdraw troops

The German Chancellor, during a conversation with Putin, called on Russia to negotiate with Ukraine to establish a just and long-term peace.

"I spoke to President Putin on the phone and called on him to end Russia's war of aggression… https://t.co/OQiozatO0i pic.twitter.com/TIK3TyQw0Q

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 15, 2024

According to the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in the phone call, Scholz wanted to know “first hand” about Putin’s opinion about the above-mentioned issues.

Peskov said the leaders had had a “detailed” and “frank” exchange of opinions.

“The conversation took place at the initiative of the German side. This is, of course, very important,” the spokesman told VGTRK reporter Pavel Zarubin.

In this way, “there are attempts to compare positions, there is a political will to get to know this position first hand.” “This is something that, of course, cannot but cause satisfaction,” the spokesman emphasized, adding that they agreed that their aides would remain in contact.

In a statement from the Kremlin, Putin said that any peace deal should acknowledge Russia’s territorial gains and security demands, including that Kiev renounces its bid to join NATO. Putin also highlighted the unprecedented decline in Russian-German relations and that Moscow’s war in Ukraine was a direct result of NATO’s aggressive policy, the statement added.

Russia has repeatedly pointed out that it launched its special military operation in eastern Ukraine in February 2022 to stop NATO’s encroachment on its borders.

The new communication between Scholz and Putin comes at a time of speculation about US President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to end the war in Ukraine.

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