I didn't see a hint: Scholz admitted why he called Putin

The telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin was important and detailed, but did not contain a hint of a change in Moscow's position on the Ukrainian crisis. This was stated to journalists in Berlin before flying to Brazil for the G20 summit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

"It was important... the conversation was detailed, but brought an understanding that little has changed in the views of the Russian president... This is not good news, " Scholz said, quoted by TASS.

The Chancellor noted that it would be wrong to refuse to talk with Putin amid possible imminent talks between the Russian leader and US President-elect Donald Trump.

"In my opinion, however, it would not be a good idea if negotiations between the American and Russian presidents took place soon, and the head of government of one of the important European countries would not hold them either. There are some people in Germany who think it's right, but I'm not one of them," Scholz said.

He recalled that he had long been "striving for a conversation" with Putin.

"You are my witnesses, because during many conversations with me you heard me say that I would talk to the Russian president again soon. This has been stated for a long time, and I discussed it earlier during numerous negotiations with many," Scholz stressed.

Some believe that the conflict on Ukraine can be easily settled, the chancellor added, but this is possible only if Moscow abandons its goals, and "there are no signs of this." According to him, he made it clear to Putin that the support of Kiev from the West will not weaken.

As EADaily reported, at the initiative of the German side, the first telephone conversation between the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz took place since December 2022. This was reported on the Kremlin's official website.

"A detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation on the Ukraine. Vladimir Putin recalled that the current crisis was a direct result of NATO's long—term aggressive policy aimed at creating an anti-Russian bridgehead on Ukrainian territory while ignoring our country's security interests and trampling on the rights of Russian-speaking residents,"the statement said.