Political rivals of German leader Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that his Friday phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine had brought the Kremlin chief a “propaganda victory”. TASR informs about it according to a report of the AFP news agency.
Scholz and Putin spoke for the first time in almost two years. According to his office, the chancellor condemned this conflict and called for peace negotiations and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi subsequently accused Scholz of playing cards with Putin, who is shunned by Western leaders, and said the challenge had opened a “Pandora’s box”.
The conservative opposition in Germany criticized Scholz for his stance
In Germany, where Scholz faces a federal election in February after his three-party coalition collapsed last week, the opposition conservative Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) leveled similar criticism at the chancellor from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
Putin “will understand the fact that Scholz phoned him as a sign of weakness rather than strength,” CDU foreign policy spokesman Jürgen Hardt told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk (DLF).
He accused Scholza of helping Putin achieve a “propaganda victory” for German domestic political reasons, pointing out that he apparently “did not present any concrete new proposal or even issue an ultimatum.”
Germany is Ukraine’s second-largest arms supplier after the United States, but has refrained from sending long-range weapons that could hit targets deep inside Russia to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
CDU politician Johann Wadephul also said in a comment to AFP that as the elections approach, “Scholz cares more about public relations than protecting Ukraine.”
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch defended the chancellor’s phone conversation with Putin by saying it was important to seek diplomatic progress in the war in Ukraine. Miersch added that Scholz works closely with Western allies and has always made it clear that “peace cannot be concluded with the dictates of Moscow”.
Der Spiegel quoted unnamed German officials as explaining that Scholz’s intention was to confront Putin with the reality of war and how critical Russia is perceived on the international stage.
Scholz also previously promised to support Ukraine “as long as necessary” and sought to make clear that Europe must join the United States in any peace talks.
