FACTBOX: Putin, Scholz hold phone talks first time in two years

 

MOSCOW:  Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the first time in two years.

The talks were initiated by Berlin.

The leaders had previously held phone talks on December 2, 2022. They last met face to face before Russia started the special military operation.

Below are the key points from Friday’s talks, as compiled by TASS.

Ukraine issue

- The leaders held a detailed and frank discussion of the situation around Ukraine.

- Putin told Scholz that the crisis was directly provoked by NATO's aggressive policy: 1) an attempt to make Ukraine an anti-Russian foothold; 2) infringement of the rights of Russian-speakers in Ukraine; and 3) ignoring Moscow's security interests.

- Scholz, according to a statement from the German cabinet, called on Putin to end the conflict and withdraw troops. Berlin plans to support Kiev "for as long as necessary".

- Putin said Moscow had never rejected talks, but they were disrupted by Kiev. Russia, however, remains open to dialogue.

- Russia remains committed to the security proposals announced by Putin during a Foreign Ministry speech in June.

- According to the Kremlin, a future agreement should: 1) take into account Russia's security interests; 2) be based on the new territorial realities; and 3) remove the root causes of the conflict.

Other issues

- Putin stated that relations between Moscow and Berlin deteriorated unprecedentedly in all areas. The reason is unfriendly German policies.

- Russia has always scrupulously met its energy-related commitments and is ready to continue cooperation if Germany wants it.

- Putin and Scholz also discussed the situation in the Middle East. Putin reviewed Russian efforts for de-escalation in the region.

- Scholz, according to a German government source, expressed concern to Putin over reports of an alleged deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.

Further contacts

- Putin and Scholz agreed to task their aides to be in touch.

- The German government plans to brief its allies and partners, the EU and NATO leadership about the outcome of the talks.

- Before reaching out to the Russian president, Scholz called Vladimir Zelensky. He plans to talk to the head of the Kiev regime again following the conversation with Putin.

- The German chancellor was the first leader of a leading Western country to contact Putin directly after an almost two-year hiatus.

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