Kremlin affirms that German chancellor hasn’t made contact

(MENAFN) The Kremlin has contradicted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s statements about his desire to resume talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that Berlin has not made any formal attempt to reestablish communication. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified on Monday that while President Putin remains open to negotiations, no request for a conversation has been made by Germany.

Peskov noted that Germany, along with France, was among the first countries to sever direct communication with Moscow after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, and has yet to take steps to reopen dialogue. This comes after Scholz recently suggested that the “right time” for a conversation with Putin may be approaching, and amid criticism from German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who accused the Russian leader of refusing peace talks and even rejecting phone calls with the German chancellor.

Despite Scholz's remarks, Peskov reiterated that Russia has not received any official request from Berlin for a conversation and emphasized that Moscow remains "always open to contact." He also alluded to concerns among Western European leaders about potential shifts in US foreign policy under President-elect Donald Trump, but maintained that their support for continued arms shipments to Ukraine remains unchanged.

Tensions over the lack of communication between Putin and Western leaders have been heightened since a report in *Die Zeit* last month suggested Scholz may seek a conversation with Putin at the G20 summit in Brazil. However, Peskov stressed that any such dialogue would require careful preparation, and pointed out that the last phone call between Scholz and Putin took place in 2022.

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