Putin talks to Scholz for first time in two years
MOSCOW, November 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the first time in two years, the Kremlin press service reported.
"At the initiative of the German side, the first telephone conversation since December 2022 took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Olaf Scholz," the statement said.
The parties held a detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine.
"A detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine was held. Vladimir Putin recalled that the current crisis was a direct result of NATO's long-standing 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 Kremlin reported.
The Russian president noted that agreements on Ukraine should take into account the interests of the Russian Federation and the realities on the ground.
"Possible agreements should take into account the interests of the Russian Federation in the sphere of security, proceed from new territorial realities, and most importantly, eliminate the root causes of the conflict," the Kremlin said in a statement.
The head of state stressed that Moscow has never refused a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict and is open to negotiations based on the proposals made in June at the Foreign Ministry.
"As for the prospects for a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict, the Russian president noted that the Russian side has never refused and remains open to resuming the negotiations that were interrupted by the Kyiv regime," the Kremlin said in a statement.
"Russia's proposals are well known and are set out, in particular, in a June speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry," the statement said.
In mid-June, at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Vladimir Putin named the conditions for negotiations with Ukraine. Among them are the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics that became part of Russia, the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, as well as the non-aligned status of Ukraine, denazification and demilitarization of the country, and the lifting of all Western sanctions. All this, the Russian President emphasized, should be recorded in the form of fundamental international agreements.
Before the start of the NWO, Moscow repeatedly pointed out the violation of the principles of indivisibility of security by the West supporting the regime in Kyiv, and in December 2021, it proposed draft agreements on ensuring the security of both Russia and NATO countries. The set of measures developed by Moscow proposed, in particular, that all parties refrain from actions that would undermine each other's security. However, the West rejected the Russian initiative and even intensified anti-Russian actions from the territory of Ukraine.
Relations with Germany
In addition, the head of state said that the degradation of relations between Russia and Germany occurred due to Berlin's unfriendly course.
"The state of affairs in Russian-German relations was also touched upon," the Kremlin said in a statement. "Vladimir Putin noted their unprecedented degradation in all areas as a result of the unfriendly course of the German authorities."
The President stressed that Moscow has always fulfilled its obligations in the energy sector and is ready to continue cooperation.
"It was emphasized that Russia has always strictly fulfilled its contractual and treaty obligations in the energy sector and is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation if Germany shows interest in this," the Kremlin said in a statement.
Germany has reduced energy imports from Russia after 2022. During 2022, Berlin stopped purchasing Russian coal and oil, and also reduced the share of gas purchased. In addition, as a result of sabotage, gas cannot flow through the Nord Stream gas pipelines. All this has led to the threat of an energy crisis and a prolonged recession in the German economy. After 2022, Berlin has taken a course towards an openly unfriendly policy towards the Russian Federation. Germany actively supports anti-Russian sanctions. In 2023, at Germany's initiative, Russian consulates in Hamburg and Leipzig were closed, as a result of which only two diplomatic institutions remained operating in the interests of Russians in the country - the Consulate General in Bonn and the Embassy in Berlin.
Situation in the Middle East
Putin told Scholz about Moscow's efforts to peacefully resolve the Middle East.
"The aggravated situation in the Middle East was discussed. Vladimir Putin informed about Russia's efforts to de-escalate and find peaceful solutions to the crisis in the region," the Kremlin press service reported on the content of the telephone conversation.
Following the telephone conversation, Putin and Scholz agreed that their assistants would maintain contact.
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